Forever May Not Be Long Enough
by divinne
Summary: Opposites attract. What happens when Draco and Luna realize they might have too many things in common? The story is full of twists: unresolved personal issues might carry along too many confrontations and frustrations, angst and of course love and...hate
1. Chapter 1

"Forever May Not Be Long Enough"

**"Forever May Not Be Long Enough"**

Everything belongs to J. K. Rowling. I've just played a bit with the characters she created, placing them in situations I had been playing inside my mind for some time now. No harm done and no profit made with this, okay? So don't sue me!

Fiction Rated: MA

(Content is only suitable for mature adults. May contain explicit language and adult themes.)

Opposites attract. What happens when Draco and Luna realize they might have (too many) things in common? But wait, appearances might deceive us (or not). The story is full of twists: unresolved personal issues might carry along too many confrontations and frustrations, angst and of course love and…hate.

This is set on Draco's 6th Year at Hogwarts (Luna's 5th Year).

**CHAPTER I:**

"_I'm picking sides  
And pulling the strings  
I'm living lies  
And shedding the skin  
I'm open wide  
And letting you in  
I'm wronging rights"_

_BREAKING BENJAMIN - "Believe")_

The school year had started only a month ago and he was already been called to the headmaster's office for a private chat. But for the first time this meeting was remotely related to any of his mischievous manners, for he swore _all that_ was buried in the past. Now he felt confident with himself, he did not loose eye contact with the old man and listen carefully to each and every word and even managed to give a faint of a smile as he reply.

He was comfortably sited on the large arm chair facing front Dumbledore's desk, dressed with his school uniform; the Slytherin's crest proudly resting over the place where his heart was rhythmically pounding in his chest. His perfect white skin and silk blond hair made quite a shocking contrast with the dark velvet cloth of the furniture. At first sight Draco Malfoy looked fragile, his athletic body had grow slighter thinner for his height and bone structure but when looking into those amazing vivid grey eyes, you can tell for sure it was a false first impression because they were full of energy and fire.

"He raised me in a cradle of luxury that was nothing but a venomous nest that leaded me to a path I don't intend to follow ever again. I was taught not to ever question him, but that has changed. I have forged a mind of my own. I'm no longer a follower." Draco's words sound determined.

"I've witnessed your father's trial when he was sentenced to Azkaban and then I became aware of his true loyalties…" Dumbledore looked down trying keep his breath steady, somehow he couldn't avoid his voice to sound dry and hollow, he continued "I thought what he did in the past was because the thought there was no other way to protect his family but I was wrong... he put you and your mother in great danger and was aware of it. I wish he would come to me instead, I would have done everything in my power to help."

The teenager loose for a split second the picture perfect of cool temper he managed to endure through all the conversation.

"I was born a Malfoy, yes, but that man is no longer father of mine". The blond abruptly stood up from the chair visible clutching his fists.

'Sir, it was thanks to my mother that he was caught by the Order, she was his secret keeper and she turned him in! She was afraid of the things he would do if she didn't act soon; time was running out for both of us and she paid it with her life! When that happened…I wasn't there for her…I haven't been able to recover her body and give her proper burial. My father erased all traces of her before he got caught and I got free from where he kept me imprisoned…" He chocked, feeling slightly sick.

Dumbledore coughed quietly, feeling his voice improved, he spoke again.

"We're not judging here your fath…Lucius' fatal decision; he's already paying for his mistakes as we speak…" Lifting his spectacles now, facing directly to those grey eyes in front of him that seem more like a pair of flaming torches, he handled a long black leather case to Draco. "I've got something to show you, something that belongs to you now."

Inside the box lied a beautiful and very unique wand, Draco took it from the case and recognized it immediately, it was an elm wood wand with dragon heartstring core: Lucius Malfoy's wand.

"I thought the Order had destroyed it …" His voice faltered.

"No, it's up to you to decide its faith. You'll see … all Lucius' possessions are yours now. If I'm correct, you've already received your inheritance, right?"

Draco nodded. "Yes sir, I'm the sole heir of my parent's combined fortunes".

Fixing the eyes first at the round full moon's silhouette coming from the office main window corner and then resting the sight at the stylized teenager figure, the headmaster continued.

"Draco, the ones we love never leave us, I bet your mother is proud of the man you're becoming. I had my doubts when you were appointed prefect, maybe it was too much for you to handle at the moment but in a matter of weeks you've achieved a remarkable job. I've even heard you've become a role model for those head boys and prefects to be and you're ripping plenty sights from the ladies".

The perfect sculpted face of the teenager managed to disguise the unpleasant sensation of a cold shiver coming down the spine, that remark sounded so tragically ironic. It was funny how a "spoiled rich greedy brat" turned into an "example to follow" in just a few couple of weeks.

How wrong was the old man, the other male students only respected him out of fear, he was the son of a well known Death Eater. Now regarding the girls, well, he was indeed a handsome teenager…who had also inherited a vast fortune, who wouldn't resist throwing the claws into half of Malfoy's gold? How quickly people labelled him, nobody was awarded yet with the pleasure of knowing the real Draco, so it was easy this way. It was true that he didn't grant the slightest chance. Was it a self-defence strategy? Or the invisible shield powered by his lonesome soul? Was it the burden of being a Malfoy? Did he actually considered himself better than the rest and didn't need to explain his actions? Too many unanswered questions. Draco Malfoy was definitely a mystery within himself.

"I've realized this situation placed you on a hazardous position. Let me assure you that, you're safe here at Hogwarts. You've got my word on that". Dumbledore then returned to his place behind the desk and noticed that Flawkes was soundly asleep.

"I'm sorry to contradict you, professor, but Hogwarts is not a safe place…not anymore. My only wish is to finish my studies and then I'll see what the future departs me. I know the ones that are still at loose will eventually come to get me. I'm determined to bring down every single Death Eater that comes my way".

The pale blond lifted his head high to show his determination and that he meant every word he said, he had nothing to hide. As reply the headmaster's facial gestures frowned with concern and worry. He proceeded then to number a vast list of warnings about the consequences drastic and idealistic heroic actions might arise.

Draco swore to himself we would never give way to pain or confusion, not anymore. Why couldn't Dumbledore understand that he was now fully aware of the part he would have to play in this war, it was all so clear in his mind and will. "_What doesn't destroy you makes you stronger" _he thought putting his cloak back aiming to the exit

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As he walked back towards the dungeons, he stopped half way the entrance of Slytherin's common room. As prefect he had several privileges, the one that he made best use of so far was having a dorm all for himself, the perfect refuge. Before speaking out the secret word to access the passage, he turned round and sighed.

'Stalking me AGAIN Pansy?" He was both tired and angry, if he had to endure this kind of unpleasant encounters one more time he would not be capable of tolerate not even a single second of it.

Coming from behind a gargoyle statue, placed on the corner of the corridor, the silhouette of Pansy came to light. With calm confidence she walked straight to Draco and paused just a few inches from him.

"I saw you leaving Dumbledore's office, what happened? I'm worried about you." She said in a quiet hush voice.

"Worried, why is that?" He sneered.

"I believe Dumbledore is not convinced at all with your image of "Potter wannabe" no matter how hard you try…. At least I don't buy it, not from you." She looked annoyed but yet remained to give her best smile to him.

"How dare you compare me with that scumbag?! Your little brain can't possibly understand what I'm up to! I never gave you account of my actions, why should I start now?" The tone of his voice raised a bit too much for his appealing, he hate being questioned. It was late in the evening and he was already cursing with all his might this awkward situation.

"So…you did receive the call from the Dark Lord, right?" Pansy's eyes try harder to make eye contact with his.

"Hush, you insolent! Why on earth are you asking for information that I know for sure you will use to turn against me in a moment of weakness? I do not trust you, you'll spoil everything!" Draco's self-control was almost non-existent.

"So it's true… you bear the mark? That's why you never let anyone get close to you anymore, why did you cut off from the rest of us?" She couldn't help herself to throw question after question to him. Draco hardly talked to her, or any of the Slytherins for that matter, not even during the daily meals.

"I want to succeed and you people only delay things for me. So it's better if I just stand alone to achieve my goals." He automatically changed his tone, he was in control now.

"You know I'll do anything for you, if I can't help you with your mission at least let me show you how much I care for you. Why are you pushing me away?" Burning desire light Pansy's eyes, she leaned forward with the attempt to rest her head in his shoulder but was suddenly shaken with an automatic push from him.

"I don't think you will ever come closer to grant me what I truly desire." Draco's brush off with his hand the spot where Pansy's hardly got the chance to touch with her forehead. As result to Draco's unconscious gesture, she took a couple of steps back.

"Don't take me for granted Draco, you won't find out what I'm capable of until you let me!"

"Langlock!" And Pansy's frustrated yell was instantly hushed by an invisible gag.

Draco's wand was aiming straight at her now closed mouth. With the tip he caressed her face, then aimed at her neck pressing slightly against a vein.

"Hear that? It's called…silence!" He smirked. "So far, so good…you'll have to make up for talking all that nonsense! Now what would happen if I press here a bit more…" From the wand erupted small reddish spears.

Without releasing his control over her, he looked into her eyes waiting for the tears that started to flow covering the girl's face. He could feel her interrupted breathing. Pansy's was getting desperate and started to choke like a fish trying to breathe out of the water.

"Oh, come on, I'm just getting started here, don't tell me that you're starting to feel dizzy already? You know what happens if I put more pressure in that precious vein of yours? The brain won't receive enough oxygen to function, you'll probably lose conscious…. or even die….depends if I stop now or continue a bit more….but if you want to please me you won't tell me to stop, right?"

Watching the pathetic image of Pansy's triggered a strange adrenaline rush inside him, it was not regret, not shame; pure hate was what he felt.

Pansy tried to release herself from Draco's grip but found out that her sense's accuracy started to fail on her. Sudden flows of energy were starting to get disconnected from inside her body and only managed to let one word out.

"S…s..stop.."

He blinked a few times as if her plea made him woke up and realized what was he doing and released her from the spell. Unfortunately for Pansy's this mercy act vanished as fast as it appeared. With a firm grip, he flicked his wand pushing her back hard against the wall. He came close and placed both of his hands around her head granting the most painful support to Pansy's body.

"Liar, you are nothing but a sack of empty promises, you've just deprived me of the only pleasure I can get from you? You've ruined my game!" Draco encircled her face with his long fingers making even more pressure to it, he just wanted to crush her skull with his bare hands but he was getting even sicker with the fact that he was touching that pathetic excuse of a girl. As if his fingers were burned from the touch, he released her and she fell to the ground hard on her knees.

"You were choking me!" She cried out with her feverish and weak vocal cords.

"What can I say? Inflicting pain on others is what turns me on. Understand now why you'll never come closer to grant me satisfaction?" His voice was so cold and ethereal, like coming from a soulless shell.

"You're SICK". Pansy did not think twice and run towards the Slytherin common room's entrance, quickly getting inside without looking back.

Draco smirked. "_I'm sick of YOU Pansy, I'm glad you got the message at last" _he murmured to himself and performed a silent cleansing spell on himself focusing specially on his hands to remove every trace of her.

Then, for the fist time, he looked at the wand that was on his hand, it was not his but his father's. He remembered then that he placed both wands in the same pocket. What had driven him to take this wand instead of his own? Did he choose it willingly or did the wand made its way to his hand instead? He was holding the wand of a murdered and vicious Death Eater, his father; it was the very same wand that had tortured him in the past. Pain, confusion and rage encircled Draco's body making him feel dizzy; his stomach hurt once more, this time was followed by a violent shake. He could not hold it back; he would have to throw up as soon as he could reach the loo.

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	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER II

**CHAPTER II**

't_he light is dead in your eye  
So I'll keep living my life  
I only wanted to try  
To find my way back inside  
My imitation of life  
My litigation of life  
It's something easy to find  
Inside the shade of your eye"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN - __"Phase")_

It was an unusual harsh cold Monday morning; all the students were gathered at Hogwarts' Great Hall having breakfast. At the very end of Ravenclaw's table was this dirty blond straggly haired girl, unnoticed by the rest of the members of her house, she kept turning pages from a copy of 'the Quibbler" latest edition. Flipping through several articles:

'tHE QUIBBLER ON THE RUN!: Dear readers, we are forced to remove our _Reader's Mail Section_ because we don't count with a fixed address to receive your letters (…..) The last Death Eaters' attack reduced our headquarters into nothing but ashes (….) some people of our staff were captured, but many managed to escape and get on with our duty: keep bringing you the truth and nothing but the truth (….)".

"HARRY POTTER'S VERSION OF THE FACTS FINALLY CAME TO LIGHT: The Boy Who Lived reported years ago the inevitable rebirth and rise of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (….) His Dark Arts army is growing in number despite the massive imprisonment of Death Eaters in hands of members of The Order of The Phoenix (…..)"

'tHE ENEMY IS WITHIN US: You-Know-Who's followers are around us and we must take caution (….) Draco Malfoy -17 years old - recently appointed prefect at Hogwarts is the son of the Death Eater Lucius Malfoy imprisoned at Azkaban after murdering his wife, Narcissa Black-Malfoy (…..)

"MINISTER OF MAGIC UNDER ATTACK OR BRIBED?: Death Eaters attacked the Minister of Magic's office searching for the staff's personal files among other Top Secret documentation (…….) Aurors arrived promptly at the scene making several arrests (……)"

Luna Lovegood's amethyst blue eyes never seem to blink as much as normal people do, giving way to several cruel remarks from her mates_: "She's spooky!" _or_ "Are you in some kind of trance again, Loony?"_

Her attention was split between the magazine pages and her fascination with the pink and purple clouds and timid sun rays of the hall's enchanting ceiling. She folded the magazine inside her schoolbag and carefully placed her wand behind the ear "for safekeeping" as she exited the Great Hall holding tight a group of parchments she had written the previous night:

_Luna Lovegood__'s missing objects (stolen by the Nargles):_

_1 Blue and gre__y cotton sweater_

_1 Deluxe Anniversary Edition of __'the Quibbler"_

_1 Furry bear mask_

_1 Yellow pair of socks_

_1 Pink beaded purse_

_2 Pairs of purple and red snickers_

_1 Ravenclaw__'s School Cloak_

_Please help me find my stuff!_

The corridor was nearly deserted, except for a couple of first years rushing towards the Great Hall with worried and sleepy faces running late for breakfast.

Luna managed to stick most of her parchments; she placed one at the entrance of the girl's bathroom. A seventh year Hufflepuff opened the door, glancing at the parchment then stared at Luna with a mocking face and laughed "Help you? As if!".

Biting her lower lip, Luna walked past the elder girl without saying a word, she kept looking down at the floor when was stopped by two of the most unpleasant fifth year Hufflepuff bullies. A short but very robust dark haired boy was standing on her right while a taller and slim brunette boy remained still on her left side.

"Watch out where you're walking lass. See whom we just bumped into, Abe!" Giggled the fat one.

"I'm sorry" Luna smiled timidly trying to pass between the two boys but was abruptly stopped this time by the taller guy alone. His open hand tapped her forehead three times. Luna shut her eyes painfully at the roughness of his touch.

"Hello? Anybody home? Hahahaha!" and with a quick flick of his wand removed the knot of Luna's butterbeer cork necklace to repel Nargles placing it inside his pocket without her noticing. The poor girl remained still with her eyes wide shut as the pair of bullies past by whispering "…until we meet again Loony!".

As she placed a hand on her chest, gathering some breath after that nasty incident, Luna realized her necklace was gone. She turned back facing the back of the undesirable duet and shouted "You guys…my locket!"

Despite hearing very clearly Luna's plea, the pair continued to walk trough the corridor like nothing happened.

"Please give it back to me!" Luna ran towards them without fearing the consequences of a new trio's crash. The boys were mimicked her, laughing out loud with total impunity.

"Levicorpus!" Shouted Luna holding her wand high and both bullies were dangled upside-down by their ankles.

"What's going on here, Lovegood?" A bossy tone voice came from behind her. Draco Malfoy was standing with his arms crossed.

He sneered at the scene; a pair of boys yelling and flapping their arms as if they were two large hybrid birds cursed by nature and a pink flushed cheek girl making her best to look innocent and complete unaware of the facts.

"Well, Lovegood, I would like to hear your part of the story. Ladies first..." The prefect didn't bother to put down the boys and stared at Luna with disbelief.

'they stole the only protection I've got against the Nargles" She spoke out loud visible looking worried.

"What the …?" Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head; this was going to be a waste of time.

'my necklace… they took it from me …I've asked them to give it back, but they won't listen and kept laughing and that's when I….." confessed Luna feeling frustrated already.

"….hanged them up in the air, right?" Draco finished her sentence.

Looking reflexive he walked around the two suspended figures. Placing his index finger on the tip of his lips he looked up at the worthless duo and sighed.

"Is that true? What's your name….errr… Johnson…right… and you're…" he pocked the boy with the tip of his wand.

"Ouch…I'm Abe Stuart, sir"

"It's the third time this month I've heard that name. It was you the one behind the butterbeer contraband incident at the beginning of the year. Right…_Ape_ Stuart." Draco murmured quietly with a sneer. "What you to have to say in your defence?"

"She's a liar, I don't know what she's talking about. Just look at us sir, we are the victims here!" The boys cried altogether.

"I can perfectly tell when being I'm lied to." Draco pointed out with a hollow voice.

"_Instruct yourself well in the arts of deception and you'll become the master of lies"_ Luna muttered under breath.

Amethyst blue eyes collide with the grey pearl ones for the first time.

"Nescio quid dicas(i)" Draco frowned.

"Absit invidia(ii)" Luna bit her lip fearing those pair of intimidated eyes in front of her.

Unfortunately the yelling of the two brats made impossible to keep their eye connection any longer. The blond teenager turned to look then at the suspended puppets and called "Accio necklace!" Once safe in his hand, he carefully inspected the necklace before handling it to Luna. Pointing his wand at the boys he shouted "Liberacorpus!" and the pair of body sacks hit hard on the floor.

"You, pair of liar thieves, follow me, we're going to have a small chat with Professor Sprout" The boys looked intrigued at Draco and protested.

'she jinxed us! Are you going to something about that…sir?" Spoke Stuart looking perplexed.

"How dare you question me? Don't speak unless you're asked to". Draco's patience was reaching its limits. 'since this is Lovegood's first offense; she will be spared this time…"

After hearing this, Luna let go a breath of relief. Nevertheless the Slytherin continued.

"…but she broke a few school rules covering the corridors with propaganda, such behaviour won't remain unpunished…" He ripped a parchment from the wall and folded it into his pocket.

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Luna was standing outside the door of Professor Sprout's office whistling a catchy muggle song while playing with her hair, making braids with a silent charm. She felt relaxed despite the fact she would be probably grounded soon by professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw's House. Half hour passed since Draco draggled inside the pair of brats and ordered her to wait for him there.

"Oi, Luna!" Shouted a tall and a bit overweight boy, is was Neville Longbottom. He smiled shyly to her.

She smiled back wondering why his pants were all muddy and what was the thing he was carrying, seemed to be a big flask filled with… dark water from the swamp?

"Neville! Hi, how are you?" asked Luna clutching her schoolbag tight over her chest, blushing slightly.

"I'm fine, here I've got something for professor's Spout next class: Psilocybe baeocystis_." _He shook the flask in front of her, large shaped fungus were floating in dark liquid.

"Are those psilocybe mushrooms?" asked her with intrigue.

"Yes they are!" Neville's face shone with delight at her friend, they seem to share common interest in botanic.

"Could you possible give me some?" She asked looking nervous.

Neville's happy face was suddenly turned into a puzzled one. He did not have a clue what she was talking about. "Uhm, these are meant to be used at class, but I can show you where they grow…".

"Oh, I'd love to. Thank you so much! I miss our talks a lot, you know?" Luna wanted to hug him, but the large flask between them made it impossible. Both flushed a bit and giggled.

"What's that bad smell? …Oh…Isn't the infamous Nebbish Longbottom?" Draco's mocking voice took Neville by surprise and almost made him drop the flask.

He said nothing and entered quickly inside professor Spout's office shutting hard the door behind him.

"Yeah, it was nice to see you too!" The blond called out loud looking so full of him.

"Why did you do that? You're a prefect… you're supposed to overlook house's rivalries…." The anger in Luna's eyes was evident.

"I'm a Slytherin and he's a Gryffindor". He thought that was explanation enough to the matter and pointed out the way to charms classroom for her to follow behind him.

After exposing the case to professor Flitwick, the prefect remained still by the side of the accused student waiting for the closure of the incident.

"Here's a copy of one of the parchments…" Draco handled it to the short man but he didn't take it, so the blond placed it again inside his pocket with resentment. "Professor, it's obvious that those bullies are the ones behind this, I bet they stole all Lovegood's missing objects. I've already talked to professor Spout and they will have their dorms meticulously searched for that matter. No need for her to wallpaper the school's corridors with this nonsense".

"I congratulate you for such a remarkable job and appreciate too your concern regarding the fulfilment of the school's rules, Mr. Malfoy". Spoke Flitwick, smoothing his moustache. "I want to have a word with my student in private, please".

Draco nodded and left.

"I'm sorry professor". Luna let go a small sight.

"I see… that you mastered without flaws the charm, well done Luna!" He winked at her.

"But sir…?" she felt relived yet puzzled.

"It's a dangerous thing to assume what people might think or know, but we've made quite an excellent performance in front of the Slytherin prefect, don't you think, Luna?" He sighed.

"I'm against detention. Teaching does not mean lecturing, it means delivering the information that the student needs on a way that will be meaningful to him or her. You may go, but please promise me you will be careful next time…Okay?" He paused, looking at her in silence.

"That's a promise Sir, thank you!" She pulled her schoolbag from the floor and hurried to the exit.

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A/N:

(i)Nescio quid dicas (Latin) - I don't know what you're talking about

(ii)Absit invidia (Latin) - No offence intended


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER III

**CHAPTER III**

"_I can see you suffocate  
I can find no other way  
Try to make you saturate  
I can be your enemy  
Why should I have to wait  
I'll just look the other way"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN - __"I wish I may")_

Only ten minutes remained of sixth year's Herbology class. The students were gathered around the one large rectangle table: Slytherin to the left, Gryffindor to the right, facing each other from opposite sides of the table waiting for professor Spout to finish giving instructions of the week's assignment.

"….at last, but not least, you'll find in front of you a flask containing a very powerful key ingredient to many medicinal potions: Psilocybe Mushrooms. Now, can somebody tell me their primary effects? Mr. Malfoy?" Called out loud the professor overlooking Hermione's raising hand.

"…professor?" Seemed that Draco paid almost no attention to class, he looked as if he hadn't slept well lately, the long silk blond fringe kept the circles under his eyes from noticing.

"Can you kindly instruct the rest of the class the Psilocybe Mushroom primary effects?" Professor Spout asked politely to the sleepy Slytherin.

"The Psilocybe baeocystis, commonly known as Psilocybe Mushroom is a key ingredient for many healing potions. When it's not properly used, the ingest of it can produce coloured hallucinations, muscular relaxation, hilarity, inability to concentrate, alteration of time and space perception, lack of sleep…". His words come out weak but meticulously paused, he was trying hard not to yawn.

"Sounds like he had tested them already." Harry whispered into Hermione's ear.

"Oh come on! What's up with you lately? Doesn't it ever occur to you that probably his father tested it on him?" She glanced at the Slytherin with a trace of sympathy.

"...and feelings of total isolation from the environment. Peak occurs from one to five minutes after ingestion." Draco finished the sentence staring coldly at the pair of Gryffindors whispering in front of him. If only looks could kill, Draco's deathly stare would have erased all traces of them from the earth within seconds.

"Well done, 10 points to Slytherin! Now, please make sure all dirt is off the mushroom, then string them by the stems and hang them upside down, free to air dry. Once they have completely dried, then they can be powdered and placed in a bag that can _breathe_…" The old lady turned her back to the class and wrote down the final instructions on the board.

"Hermione?! Are you defending him now?" asked Harry without understanding her sudden compassion towards the enemy.

"No, she is not. Harry… this obsession of yours is driving you insane…." Ron placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and sighed deeply.

"He's up to something..." By the time Harry realized he was talking loud enough, it was too late to regret now. He was sure that two cold grey eyes were measuring him inch by inch.

"Is that so, potty boy? Can you actually do Legilimens now?" Teased Draco while stretching his back and letting go a silent yawn.

"I bet you know a lot about it, Malfoy!" Harry's face burned with anger.

"Certainly do! I know what YOU are up to. I can read you like a book … a very bored one… snogging that pathetic little Weasley in secret, cheating on potions classes and …oh yes... still looking for the missing pieces of the puzzle?" The blond felt so pleased with himself now for exposing Harry Potter in front of the whole class.

Ron's yaw almost fall to the floor, he looked perplexed at his best friend without being able to move, he only paid attention the first part, the one concerning Ginny. Hermione squeezed Ron's hand behind the table looking worried; cursing herself for underestimating Malfoy.

"You filthy rat…. how dare you!" Harry wanted so badly to confront his opponent face to face. The class table made a fragile barrier between the two teenagers.

"I believe that insult suits Granger best and not me, a pure blood..." Draco sneered.

"_Don't give me a reason to punch you in the face again, Malfoy"_. Hermione muttered under her breath.

"You're warned, Granger, it would hurt you twice as bad. This time I won't hold back if you come for it". He remembered how much her punch hurt him, and how difficult was to refrain returning that blow.

But Draco was bluffing, he was not that kind of man, probably when the time came immobilizing or stunning her would just do for he wouldn't hurt any woman…except Pansy…of course.

"Other people always take your place Potter, saving your neck, when will you stand up for yourself? Stop being a pussy!" The blond teased.

"Class dismissed!" Spout's shout was certainly loud and clear.

All students gathered their schoolbags and one by one walked out silently the greenhouse. Ron and Hermione were actually pulling Harry towards the exit and avoid a confrontation between him and Draco.

Outside was a beautiful sunny afternoon, the students were happy to be able to catch a glimpse of it. Death Eaters were growing in numbers and with them the sense of terror haunted both muggle and wizard community. Therefore new rules were imposed at the beginning of the school's year, welcomed with resentment and grief from great part of all the student body. Quidditch was cancelled and all activities outside the castle were closely monitored.

"Hey guys!" Shouted Ginny coming out from the woods after Care of Magical Creatures class, besides her was Luna greeting the trio with a wide smile.

"Sis!" Ron welcomed the chance to have a few words alone with his little sister.

He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her behind the greenhouse from where Harry, Hermione and Luna were left behind, they couldn't see much what was going one between brother and sister, but it was obviously the nasty result of Draco's ultimatum. Harry felt bad for not telling Ron about his feeling towards Ginny, he was upset by the whole situation, he wanted this relationship to remain in secret until trouble waters were finally calm, now everything was a mess and he was exposed thanks to Draco…and speaking of the devil, his nemesis was walking towards where they were standing.

"What do you want now?" Hermione was annoyed with him, how easily was for Malfoy to make everybody hate him.

"Obviously nothing with you two!". Looking from above Harry's head, the tall blond glanced at the distant spot where the two Weasleys were arguing and sneered.

"Unless you come here willing to fight, get lost Malfoy!" Harry dropped his schoolbag on the floor and come closer to the Slytherin.

"Are you sure of that? I want to fight a man, not an excuse of it. But maybe I'm asking too much from you…Haven't scored that red-haired yet? Guess not, you're so pathetic Potter, in every single aspect!" Draco couldn't hold himself from making jokes at Harry's expense.

The black jet haired boy face was now red with embarrassment.

"I'm here for Lovegood. For your information potty boy, prefects, head boys and head girls should escort the students back to the castle after outdoor activities". He looked at Luna and added "Lovegood, don't keep your classmates waiting any longer for you, it's not wise".

He had a point, most of her schoolmates were complaining already for having to wait for her, others making jokes at her expense.

"Yes…bye Harry…Hermione…"

Luna tried to keep pace with Draco's fast walk; his tall and stylized body followed a synchronized compass of elegant movements. Nobody walked the way he did; in fact he seemed to do everything different from the rest of the male students, making him stand out, another remarkable feature to add to the pile of qualities of this unique Slytherin.

"Did you volunteer to walk us back to the castle?" She didn't dare to look directly at him as if she feared to notice his stare on her.

"No, I did not. Short of staff I guess, besides being in charge of members from my own House, I'm responsible for Ravenclaw's fifth year students due to some matching in the class's timetable". Draco rubbed his eyes gently; the bright sunlight was beginning to hurt his sight.

'seems you need an eye's balm charm…may I?" Her truthful worried look refrain him from denying her aid at once, he perfectly knew how to cast that spell.

'so that I go blind?" He sarcastically joked.

"Why is that you expect the worse from everybody?" Asked puzzled the girl.

"You're either an acutely perceptive person or an incredible naive one". Draco couldn't understand the reason of her offering.

'some might say…lots of things about me, I really don't care". Sadness haunted her pale complexion, her stricken image overcome his defence system.

"I…never mind… you perfectly know who I am". It has him the one avoiding meeting her eyes at that time.

"Actually, I don't". She frowned a bit with wonder.

"Not to know is bad; not to wish to know is worse. Don't push your luck, Lovegood. Many won't refuse to take advantage of a willing defenceless prey like you". He paused looking at her in silence. "_I know my kind and what's going on in our minds"_.

And it happened once again, the eerie eye connection between them followed by a frozen breeze, as if time had stopped and they were the only ones aware of it.

"Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis"(i). She curled her lips trying to smile at him.

"Tum podem extulit horridulum"(ii). Draco's face, vanished from all emotion, looked away from her direction as if wanting to get rid of the trance.

"My offer is still on". Spoke Luna making invisible circles in the air with her wand.

"The other day you've proved yourself to be good with charms". He sneered, recalling the incident with the two bullies.

"I'm the best of the class". And she performed the silent spell on him.

In a matter of seconds Draco felt his eyes refreshed, his sight was remarkable improved and accurate. The daylight brightness was no longer a problem. He looked at Luna with those splendid renewed grey eyes of him and blinked twice. A fragile blond girl of glittery amethyst blue eyes and unusual beauty was standing besides him with a confident smile.

"Feeling better now? I also took the liberty of removing those circles under your eyes with a glamour charm".

'this is not a beauty saloon Lovegood".

Was it Draco's way to say 'thank you"? Not that she was expecting some sign of approval from him, or did she? Luna bit her lower lip watching now the back of the prefect's cloak. She wished her missing cloak would appear soon, she was cold. Warming her hands in her sweater's pockets, she felt the D.A coin. Squeezing it tight inside her palm, she let got a silent sight, she longed their meetings so badly. She missed being around her friends. She hardly had the chance to come across them in between classes. She longed her endless talks with Neville about magic herbs. Neville seemed so busy now helping professor Spout. As the unselfish and kind-hearted girl she was, she felt happy for him and for the rest of her friends but she couldn't stop feeling a stranger amongst them, like she were invisible. She regretted the fact that the room of requirement refused to reappear after Dolores Umbridge almost destroyed it in the raid forcing the D.A meetings to come to an abrupt end. Harry didn't seem to mind about it very much probably because, like the helpless hero he was, he didn't want to encourage his friends to confront danger ever again.

"We're not safe anymore… not even at Hogwarts…" Her soft and sad voice reached Draco's ears.

'the illusion of safety was over long time ago; you know it as well as me". Draco turned round to face her, they were inside the castle; he counted the present students making sure everyone was there.

"How do you do that? How you managed to stay so indifferent with everything that's going on?" Luna asked with both curiosity and reproach.

"Easy, you should always start with the end in mind". Then with an unconscious gentleman's gesture, he bowed to Luna and headed to the dungeons to have some time alone at last.

Luna walked towards the inner patio of the castle, resting against a column. She stared at the sky, Draco's words echoing inside her mind. "_What did he meant by that? Did he actually know what's going to happen?" _Endless questions haunted her and the answers were far from her reach. Her worst fears surrounded her like an ice veil wrapping her whole body, she felt colder than before. The sun was now hidden behind dark clouds, the untamed wind smelled moistly, birds were circling the trees for shelter; signs of a coming storm.

A/N:

(i)Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis (Latin)- All things are changing, and we are changing with them.

(ii)Tum podem extulit horridulum (Latin) - You are talking crap.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER IV

**CHAPTER IV**

"_How can I believe when this cloud hangs over me  
You're the part of me that I don't wanna see. Forget it  
There's a place I see you follow me  
Just a taste of all that might come to be  
I'm alone but holding breath you can breathe  
To question every answer counted"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN - "Forget It")_

It was a large room, a large the fireplace rested in front of the only entrance, on the left was a large window with clear and frosted glass cut panels, to the right and covered with dark green velvet cloth and grey silk tassels on each of the four corners as the only decoration was the ebony wood four poster bed. The drapes were tied to the posts revealing the silhouette of a stylized male body of an enviable toned muscle structure sound asleep. His naked torso was covered up to the waist with dark satin sheets. Messy blond hair curls were pressed against his sweaty forehead; both of his arms were locked in a close embrace with the pillow. His eyelids were shut but the erratic movement of the eyeballs was evident: Draco Malfoy was having a nightmare.

He stood alone at the edge of a precipice, endless shattered images kept coming in front of his eyes, as if emptiness had expanded its limits, everything moved in slow motion.

The image of his father flashed back at him.

"_You must continue with the task I've been assigned by the Dark Lord. You must fulfil the duties you were born and trained for; it's time to prove you're worthy to be my son"_. Draco wanted to shout, but no words come from his mouth.

Voldemort's vicious silhouette came into focus. _"Oh …my boy, we meet again at last. You've been hiding from me, haven't you? No more games, you will come to me when I ask you to you. You will serve me and my purposes. You're mine." _A loud thunder numbed his ears, losing the balance, Draco fell to the ground.

The pain was unbearable, he felt his flesh tearing apart in pieces. Tears of pain and anger blurred his vision, he felt helpless, worthless… but a voice inside him whispered softly:_ "Not everything is what it seems: question authority, challenge reputation, doubt expertise Let excitement overcome apprehension, give way to confidence to conquer fear, certainty might enlighten doubt, pride will overrule anger…it's all inside you. It's time to FIGHT BACK". _He painfully got up, every inch of his body aching, he looked at Voldemort to the eyes, a vivid sparkling green light came from Draco's wand and everything came out of focus …

"NO!" He woke up shaking and covered in cold sweat with his hands placed around the ears, he felt a viscous and sticky substance coming from both ear lobes, is was blood.

He tried to get up but his legs were numbed and he fell to the ground. He cursed under his breath and summoned his wand. "ENNERVATE!" He make it to the loo, got rid of the pyjama pants throwing them to the floor as he entered into the bath tube. Warm water flushed away the blood and sweat but not the images inside his head; with a sponge soaked in soap he rubbed so hard his skin that it turned red in seconds. He took a sip of water; it tasted strangely salty, he made a few gargles and spit, to his shock blood clots were mixed with water. He was feeling dizzy; he managed to take a step out of the tub without falling again, wrapped a towel around his waist and headed to the sink. He opened the cabinet searching through the several stored medicine potions looking for something to stop his internal bleeding for good. His tremble hand grabbed a small bright red flask with label that read "# 7227", he recalled the time he prepared it using marterwort for protection, laurel for purification and strength, orange mint for hex-breaking, fox's clote for healing and sanguis draconis a power amplifier.

"If truly hexed or cursed I am, let it break with quench of flame" He drank it all from one sip without breathing; the potion burned inside him. "So mote it!"

His stomach was aching, he throw himself on the couch in front of the fireplace curling his aching body assuming a foetal position, his eyes mesmerized by the flames. The nightmare was so vivid every time he closed his eyes, he told to himself that he won't go to sleep again; at least he had to stay awake through that whole day for his body and soul to heal. He had to talk about this with someone, it was the first time the experienced such a vivid and almost fatal nightmare. He had to talk to Severus Snape.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"There are four states of Consciousness: sleep, vigil consciousness, self consciousness and objective consciousness. In dreams there is no logic, continuity, causes, or effects whatsoever; all psychic functions work without direction whatsoever therefore you can experience incoherent, vague, imprecise scenes that disappear as fast as they appear…. I wouldn't call a nightmare what you've experienced last night, this was different from the rest you've been having…I'm afraid. If this one was actually a binding connection with the Dark Lord; it can only be achieved if both minds clashed at a certain point..." Severus Snape walked across his office, hands behind his back; he paused in front of a crystal cabinet full of stuff magical creatures body parts then turned back to face the battered teenager and walked towards him.

"You've done Legilimens to Potter!?" His accusing tone was evident.

"I didn't think by doing that I would open a portal into Voldemort's mind". He blushed with shame.

"NO, it's the other way round; YOUR mind is the one He has access now! Can't you see that by entering Potter's mind you exposed yourself to the Dark Lord?" Snape's pointed nose a few inches away from Draco's pale face.

"But I'm good in Occlumency, how could he trespass so easily without me even knowing?" The tie was suffocating him, he undid the knot with both hands; he noticed his hands were sweaty and trembling.

"If you're not willing to sharpen your listening skills, you'd be better off not asking questions at all". Snape protested with bitterness in his eyes. "You're good, yes, and that probably saved your life last night when you managed to break the connection at the very last moment but you are no match for Him! He's the most powerful wizard in history; the Dark Lord is immortal!"

"Right when I thought I was going to die, the voice of a woman encouraged me to fight back…I believe it was my mother". Draco curled his lips with a faint of a smile.

"Are you sure it as a female voice?" Snape sharpened his eyes with wonder.

"Without a doubt" He nodded.

"I'm afraid this could be something else…you've submerged yourself into somebody else's trauma". Snape looked worried.

"Professor…do you think it's some kind of message from my mother, to recover her…dead body?" His words tremble with fear.

"I'm not sure…" Snape crossed his arms and fixed a suspicious stare at the flicking of the candles on the small chandelier that illuminated the room.

"What can I do to stop this from happening again?" Draco experienced trouble breathing; he had to calm down or will pass out right there.

"Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't". Snape frowned with concern; he took a big breath and sank in the armchair behind him. "Next time you better prepare yourself to resist Him from entering your mind. He's testing you; he would kill you if you don't act as he expects. Do you understand?"

"Yes, but what does he exactly want from me?" He tried to swallow, his throat started to hurt again.

"YOU!". Snape got up and walked to his desk; he opened the top drawer and extracted a silvery bottle. "Drink this; it has what your healing potion lacked".

"Thank you Sir". He drank it from one sip without breathing.

"Draco, fear is a powerful emotion and a necessary one, but it can keep you silent when you should speak and will open your mouth when it's better left shut. Fear will convince you to back off and hide just when you need to be most visible. You need to control fear rather than letting fear control you…" Yet another awakening lesson from Snape.

Draco looked up to him, he was an ingenuous and skilful man, but there was something else hidden behind the mysterious veil of Snape's personality that always made Draco think twice before confide something to him.

Draco closed the office's door shut, placing both hands against the wall as support. His body was reacting to Snape's potion. The effects were visible within few seconds. His head and throat didn't hurt anymore; the fever was gone and he could breathe without feeling constricted the lungs. Everything seemed to be back in place and shape. He heard a familiar voice coming from the end of the corridor.

"….because Vampires are just misunderstood creatures". Luna was walking through the corridor followed closely by The Bloody Baron.

"I'm misunderstood too; want to make an essay about me instead?" He laughed back.

"Next time, you got my word". She kissed her index finger honouring the promise.

"I have all the time in the world, you know?" He waved to her before disappeared behind a statue.

"Time waits for no one…". She sighed with sadness in her voice. "… bye Baron!" Balancing dangerously the large pile of books on her lap, she waved at him.

Draco remained out of her sight, hidden in the shadows. Something about Luna caught his attention. Couldn't be her messy long blond hair unsuccessfully tied back in a pathetic pony tail, neither the way her pink cheeks blushed without reason ever time she smiled because that made her look silly, nor the way her eyes seemed to be always lost, staring at the nothingness. Why then waste his time with the awkward picture of Luna Lovewood? There was no point, except if he was waiting for her to lose balance and drop all the books to the floor…which was likely to happen any time soon.

"Playing hide and seek?" The Bloody Baron came from behind, trespassing Draco's body.

"Yuck, don't do that, it's disgusting! Since when are you talking to Ravenclaws as if they were Slytherins?" He was coming out from the unwelcome goose-bumps.

"Is there a difference?" Caressing his long moustache the ghost banished again from Draco's sight.

"Yes, there is…"

Flashbacks from the past took him to his first day at Hogwarts, back to the Sorting Hat ceremony. "S_lytherin!" _Called out the Hat, he sighted with relief but also wondered what would happened if he had opted for Ravenclaw instead. He didn't contradict the Sorting Hat's decision out of fear from what his father would say; deep inside he knew he took the wrong turn.

Coming back to his senses, Draco looked back at where Luna was minutes ago but couldn't find her. Where else could she be carrying all those books back than to the library? He found her there, sitting at the very last table full of half opened books. She was taking notes in a very lengthy parchment, her right eye blinking uncomfortably. A large untamed buckle refused to stay back in place; she managed to curl it behind her ear without noticing she left an ink mark on her cheek with her dirty fingers.

"Tergeo!" Murmured Draco, then he clutched with both hands on the top of the chair placed in front of Luna.

"Uhmmm?" Her eyebrows rose with concern.

"Ink spot, your cheek, gross…" Failing to string together the words? What was going on with him! "Lovegood, what have you done to my eyes?" What a subtle way to change the subject.

"I don't understand…" She looked confused.

"The spell you cast on me the other day, what have you done exactly?" Draco demanded to know.

"Why, something bad happened to your sight?" Answering a question with another question made him feel even more annoyed.

"No, it's just that…I'm seeing things different now…..some things have changed". He had to stop clutching the wood or it would break into million splinters.

"Different...how? You see blurred, out of focus, are your eyes too sensitive…do they hurt?" She put down her quill placing both hands around her cheeks making her face look fluffy.

"No, neither! Just tell me what kind of spell did you cast on me?" He looked at that smoothly innocent face of hers….he blinked once…..he blinked twice. That was going on?

"I've just performed a temporary eye's balm charm, should have disappeared after a couple of hours. I use it frequently when I'm preparing for exams; it helps my sight to rest in order to recover its strength. I've performed many times on myself without trouble... I assure you I did not…" Her voice trembled.

"Something's wrong with me!" He pulled the chair against the table with a violent push.

"Oh... you know when people lie to you. Tell me Malfoy, am I lying?" Luna tried to stop the tears from coming out, her soul once again had been shaken by his cruel accusations.

Draco felt awkward; he knew she was telling the truth, he did not have to recur to occlumency or anything of that sort to find that out. It was so clear to him now, he's been wrong about her all this time. It was hard for him to trust in someone but with her something was different, why was he denying that to Luna? A sudden static electricity haunted Draco's body, like a sudden wake into reality, what made him change his view of her?

"Illius me paenitet.(i)" He grabbed Luna's wrist from across the table and fixed his pearl grey eyes on those blue gems in front of him.

"Per contra.(ii)" She got up with the intention to get rid of his tight grip.

"I shouldn't have done it against your will, you never gave me permission to cast that spell, it's my fault. But it was a good one, I didn't mess up!" She tried to break free from him, but couldn't, at least not without using magic.

"I'll let go of your arm if you sit down, okay?" It sounded more like an order rather than an invitation.

"What is it that you want?" She refused to take a sit.

"_Haven't decided that yet_". He thought without breaking their eye contact. 'sit down, will you?" He summoned closer the chair behind her.

"I'll do that not because you've told me to but because I'm in the middle of my research for Defence Against the Dark Arts class. I would appreciate you allow me to continue with what I was doing and leave, please". She took a sit while caressing her wrist, seemed his grip had been tighter than expected. "I bet you're feeling sorry about this too".

Draco didn't mean to hurt her, but he didn't come up with other way to prevent her from leaving.

"Yes, I do actually". He waited for any reaction or remark from her, but her lips were wide shut.

"_I care about you." _He said to himself without taking his eyes off her. _"It's perfectly okay to have conflicting emotions". _He heard a voice inside his head. _"Is it?"_ He shot back.

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A/N:

(i) Illius me paenitet (Latin) - Sorry about that,

(ii) Per contra (Latin) - On the contrary


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER V

**CHAPTER V**

"_You know my heart  
You know my gaze  
You'd know my heart  
If you knew your place  
I'll walk straight down  
As far as I can go_

_I__'ll follow you if you follow me  
I don't know why you lie so clean  
I'll break right through the irony"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN – "Follow")_

That boring cloudy Sunday afternoon turned the forbidden forest into the perfect secret playground for the pair of silvery animals: a stag and a hare were chasing after each other, running in circles around the trees, playing hide and seek, in two words: having fun. Harry's stag enjoyed chasing after Luna's restless Patronus. They were having a nice time; their laughs echoed inside the hollow trunks of some dying trees.

"Your laugh is contagious Luna!" Harry felt relaxed, leaving his worries aside for a while.

"Good!" Clapping her palms with excitement, Luna moved to a side of the blanket leaving enough room for Harry to sit next to her.

Thanks to Harry's invisibility cloak they could sneak into the forest without being noticed. Earlier that day Harry sent Luna an owl telling her about his plans to pay a visit to the Thestrals. Since Ginny, Ron and Hermione couldn't see them, it was a perfect time to spend time with someone who understood them. Their patronus were playing around the black winged misunderstood creatures.

"I feel bad for not continuing with the D.A classes. I guess we should looking for a place but I've been having less and less time with the classes Dumbledore is giving me and….there's Ginny…" He pulled back his messy black hair with one hand, exposing his scar from behind the untamed blocks.

"Harry, don't you worry. Thanks to you we're properly trained now. You're the best D.A.D.A. teacher we could ever ask for. I speak for all when I say that your classes are deeply missed, but we actually miss you. Harry, we are your friends, don't push us aside when the time comes, you promise?" Luna took his hand in hers squeezing it with a firm shake, trying to comfort his troubled friend.

"Okay, but I won't put you in unnecessary trouble for nothing, please understand that. This is too complicated, things are changing so fast and I'm afraid of what might happen if I rush into conclusions again and put you all in danger. We barely made it last year, you've been through hell. When I saw you guys at the hospital wing getting cured from the injuries I just hate myself for letting my friend get hurt". He squeezed back her hand with fondness like looking for forgiveness.

Luna was silent, remembering when they embarked without any fear, so filled with vigour and youth into the most terrible adventure. The undesirable outcome of all this had been the death of Sirius Black and endless weeks at the infirmary waiting to be released. She shook her head as if trying to get rid of all those black and white memories and looked back at Harry with empathy.

"How are things with Ginny? I never saw you happier!" Her face shined with happiness and curiosity.

"Leaving aside that Ron had a hard time combing back to senses after Malfoy dropped the bomb….everything is okay now with my friend and…future brother-in-law. You'll see….I can't imagine being without Ginny, the way she makes me feel. I never thought someone would love me and care for me the way she does. This also worries me the hell out. I want her out of this whole nightmare. I want to protect her at all costs. But it's hard doing this when I'm the reason why she's in trouble, all because of me! I'm terrified of making promises I won't able to keep..." The silvery stag disappeared in the wind, Harry sighed and let go of Luna's shake.

"Harry, her place is beside you, don't deny her that! And don't deny yourself the happiness you so very well deserve!" Luna's voice trembled with worry.

"Yes…now that Voldemort is getting even stronger than ever… love couldn't have appeared at a worst scenario". He tapped his forehead with his open palm, an unconscious reflex of him when trying to hide his scar from other people's sight.

"I'm afraid things happen when you least expect". She got up to caress the baby thestral that appeared from behind a rock.

"But, tell me about you…your interest for Neville is just as evident as Hermione and Ron's feelings for each other." Harry wanted to change the subject, taking the opportunity to catch up with Luna's news as well.

"Well, Neville and I are close, yes, but we're just friends. I must confess that my feelings for him have been always strong. We've been writing daily to each other since the end of last year and I thought we could become more than friends, but I was wrong. I do care for him, a lot…how can I explain this? It's like you with Cho". Resting her back against the rock, Luna kneeled besides the small creature whispering softly to it.

"…so you two kissed?" Harry blushed a bit for letting out such an indiscreet question.

"No…we haven't. But you get the point, right? It's like when you care for a friend of the opposite sex a bit more than the rest, but your friendship is above everything else and you don't want to trespass those limits. Do I make sense? It's complicated!" The baby creature curled in her lap, making soft snoring sounds, Luna kept caressing the animal's head with maternal affection.

"I see, but in my case it won't be like what I feel for Cho, it would be what I feel for Hermione. That would be my parallel situation with what you're saying. Luna, is there something else you want to tell me?" Having conversations with her made Harry's mind turned upside down and back again to place.

"Yes and no. Tell me Harry, is it possible to develop feelings towards someone who…hates you? I mean, it's just pathetic, right? I haven't got the chance to talk to anyone about this yet. I just wished I had more time...but there's no point, I'm just….a lost cause. It's pointless". The crying of an elder Thestral woke the baby creature; it jumped from Luna's lap and slowly made its way back with the others.

"We don't choose whom we fall in love with, it just happens. But if he misjudges you, he doesn't deserve you at all! You're a wonderful intelligent girl, Luna. I understand when you talk about the lack of time to think about things. I mean, we're all worried of this imminent war our feelings tend to get more impulsive than before. We unconsciously believe there is no better day than today to express everything we hold inside." He got up, walking towards where she was kneeled offering his hand to lift her up.

"Yes, you're right, no better day than today! Carpe Diem…Seize the day!" She grabbed his hand tight and got up with difficulty, her legs felt a bit drowsy from lulling asleep the baby creature in such uncomfortable kneeling position.

"I'm the one who should thank you, for being who you are and most important, for being my friend!". Feeling the weakness of her body, he placed her hand around his shoulder helping her to stand up straight.

Someone was watching the scene completely motionless, a pair of grey eyes kept staring at them from the distance. The tall and slender young male figure was dressed in black, his shirt showing the first buttons undone, his silk blonde hair carelessly dishevelled.

"Reducto!" Draco Malfoy muttered placing the Firebolt inside his pocket.

He clenched his jaw noticing how strangely swallow was his breathing. At that moment he wanted more to reduce Harry Potter's head rather than the broomstick. What was he doing with Luna Lovegood alone in the heart of the forbidden forest? And without spending another minute, he apparated on top of the rock where Luna rested against a few moments ago.

"In his classes, Dumbledore is helping me understand better how things developed the way they're now, how Tom Riddle became to be Lord Voldemort, so I'm learning…". But Harry's couldn't finished what he was saying, there was a loud crack sound, someone had just apparated in front of them: Draco Malfoy was staring at them standing at the top of the rock.

"Sneaking out with your latest conquest?" Sarcasm was mixed with mild jealousy in Draco's words.

"Mlfoy…you…here?!" Harry held his wand high, placing himself in front of Luna, prepared to defend them both from such an unexpected visit.

"Yes, I've passed the apparition exam, unlike you! And what's most important: I'm on patrol. You two are breaking school rules being outside the castle without permission! If I'm right here Potter is also because of your ineptitude…. if you pretend to have private encounters with your girlfriends, be wise to cast a protection shield around you both at least! You're full of Gryffindor's stupidity!"

He could care less for Potter's safety, the caution was meant for Luna's sake.

"I doubt the old man's teaching will help you, beware potty boy, you'll never come closer enough to what the Dark Lord already knows about you…guess who has the advantage….when you meet…the future starts looking dim".

Another loud crack and Draco was standing inches away from Harry without being able to remove his sight from Luna.

"Cave quid dicis"(i). Luna's warning provoked Draco's anger.

"Inter nos, fas est et ab hoste doceri. Audi et alteram partem"(ii). Pushing Harry aside, he faced her with a cold stabbing stare.

Harry rushed towards Draco and both tumbled to the ground.

"What the hell? Get off me now Potter!" Draco's wand pointed directly to Harry's light bolt scar.

"How dare you perform the imperius curse on her?" Harry also took off his wand from his pocket and aimed towards his opponent's face.

"What? NO! You stupid git! We were just talking! Get off me, now!" Another minute and Draco wouldn't hold the impulse to cast a curse at his attacker.

"I haven't heard a single word coming from you two! Luna's eyes turned grey and you both were in this kind of trance! Malfoy…your eyes…." Harry paused.

Draco's unusual blue colour eyes turned back to their original cold grey in a matter of seconds.

"What is going on in here?!" Harry yelled.

"Rlashio!" The Slytherin shouted.

Draco was thinking fast, trying to understand what had just happened there between him and Luna. This strange and private switching between them was more than a simple exchange of thoughts, as if they were sharing part of each other in the process. Since they never experienced this with another person closely watching them, neither of them realized this earlier. Wandless magic? Possible. Mind reading? That too. But he never heard about such kind of mixed unconscious exchange between two people.

"Potter…" The blond Slytherin got up, shaking off the dirt from his clothes with a disgusted frowned face. "…I don't pretend you to understand. It was a private chat between Lovegood and I. Don't stick your nose in private matters."

"Private matters? Get lost Malfoy!" How badly he wanted to erase that sarcastic Slytherin attitude of Malfoy from one single punch.

"I'd like to have a word with her alone so I won't go…unless she wants me to". Draco sneered, crossing his arms waiting for Luna's reply.

"Luna?" Harry's heartbeats were speeding up with astonishment.

"I would like to hear what he has to say". The arch of her eyelids lifted up with bitterness.

"Beware Malfoy, I'm keeping an eye on you!" Then he winked to Luna and said "Luna, I'll be close in case you need me, okay?"

"Whatever, I couldn't care less". Draco replied with extreme coldness.

Luna looked at Harry smiling confident at him. "Don't you worry Harry, I can take care of myself without trouble…thanks to you!" And she winked back at him.

Once alone, Luna took several steps away from Draco, resting her back against a dying tree of black leaves. With a silent spell she made a question mark in the air with some dry leaves and focused her attention there, refusing to look into his eyes.

"What has just happened and why are you here?" Suddenly the leaves turned into dragonflies…Draco transfigured them with the attempt to catch her attention to where he was standing.

"_I'm trying to figure that out myself as we speak"._ He mutters in his breath. "Most pure bloods are able to establish private conversations without realizing. I assume you're surprised to hear this since you spend most of time around half-bloods and muggle-borns…it's understandable".

"Is it?" Luna was starting to feel uneasy around him.

"Now, regarding your second question, remember when I've said I'd like to contribute with your research… the vampire's assignment for Snape's class?" He extracted a small object from his pocket. "Engorgio!" The object turned to be an old book with black leather jacket.

"Actually, the least I recall of that day, the better…" She unconsciously caressed her wrist remembering his possessive grip.

"I'm afraid we remember that day from opposite views. I though our little misunderstanding was over". He handled the book to Luna, waiting her to accept it, which she reluctantly did, still without looking back at him.

Luna inspected closely the gold letters on the book's cover: "Ancient Blood Alchemy: The Vampire's Gen". Casting a quick glance at the fragile yellow pages, she returned the book to Draco without even blinking, actually she almost throw it back at him.

"Malfoy, this is a Dark Art's book…a forbidden book…I cannot accept it. Here, take it". But Draco let the book fall to the ground grabbing her by the wrist, pulling closer to where he was standing.

"That's why it's perfect for your assignment. I mean, that's the point of the class. Thanks to Snape now that's finally properly taught! How can you expect to defend yourself against the Dark Arts it you don't know what they are about?!" He softly caressed her palm with his fingertips.

"The Dark Arts are an unjustifiable reality that transcends all logic. To understand it would mean to excuse its existence. Besides, they're not there to be understood but to be fought!" She pulled back her hand from him with a violent shake.

"So many brave words coming from such a fragile being makes me wonder if appearances truly deceive us". He sneered.

Draco finally won the quest: he caught sight of those amethyst blue eyes of hers. He encircled her tiny waist with one arm, breaking the barrier between them, feeling how the rhythm of their heartbeats echoed with the other. He was so close now that he was bathed in her perfume.

"_You smell…so sweet…like jasmines". _He murmured softly in her ear.

The soft touch of his lips against her earlobe produced a powerful static wave between them. The weight of Luna's unconscious body almost pulled them both to the ground, but Draco despite feeling unusually weakened hold her tight against him with both arms, stopping her fall. He could feel how slowly her heartbeat was fading away, he entered in panic. "Ennervate!"

Luna's eyes opened wide in shock, gasping for breath, she pressed her left hand against Draco's chest trying to push him aside. Gathering as much air as possible to fill her lungs she begged.

"_Please, let me go!_" with a thread of voice.

But Draco did not let go or her and buried his face in the exposed concave line of her neck. With one free hand he caressed her long hair, curling some lose buckles behind her ear, whispering softly.

"_I'm starting to feel a bit dizzy too. I don't know what's happening to us but let me assure I would never dare to harm you. Please relax and let me carry you back to the castle". _And with a loud crack, they were facing the entering gates of Hogwarts. Luna Lovegood's unconscious body was being carried in the arms of Draco Malfoy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**A/N:**

(i)Cave quid dicis (Latin) - Beware what you say

(ii)Inter nos, fas est et ab hoste doceri. Audi et alteram partem (Latin) - Between ourselves, it's proper to learn even from an enemy. Hear the other side too.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER VI

**CHAPTER VI**

"_If I had to  
I would put myself right beside you  
So let me ask  
Would you like that?  
Would you like that?  
And I don't mind  
If you say this love is the last time  
So now I'll ask  
Do you like that?  
Do you like that?"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN __– "The Diary of Jane")_

There she was, soundly asleep in the bed, wearing over her yellow and pink stripes sweater and purple skirt a black cloak with the Slytherin crest. He wished to know how to perform a magical check up on her. He ruled out the fact she had fever when he caressed her forehead. But his hand had a mind of its own for it made its way up to the hollow centre of her collarbone stopping at the thin cord around the neck. He wondered where exactly ended that butterbear necklace behind all the clothes she was wearing.

"_Your skin feels so soft. I bet it tastes as sweet as it smells..."_ The girl's half opened lips looked like blossoming pink button roses. _"S__o tempting… I want to…what if I just... she won't know….I'm a pervert_!"

He suddenly got up from the bed and rushed to the window, opened it to catch some fresh air, he then crossed his arms, feeling a bit cold now with the freezing breeze. He turned back to look at her: Luna Lovegood was soundly asleep in his bed. Draco was hypnotized with her pearl skin and how it shined with the timid sunrays. She looked so peaceful in her sleep; he didn't dare to wake her up despite the urgent need to talk to her about the recent series of strange events. What could have triggered such a strange super-sensory charm between them? He recalled feeling weak moments before Luna passed out, as if their combined energies dried them out without explanation. Suddenly the sleeping beauty woke up from her dream. Draco didn't move; he just stood there, standing by the side of the window.

"I'm…cold…" She couldn't stop herself from trembling. She sited slowly on the bed with her legs crossed against her chest.

"Incendio!" Draco pointed his wand to the fireplace, now alive with vivid red flames. He closed the window and walked towards the bed, sitting on the opposite side of where Luna was. "I forgot…the dungeons are always this cold".

"Why am I here?" Luna's pale face looked straight at him without the slightest a trace of fear in her eyes.

"You've passed out…twice. The forest was not the best place to stay so I had to take you back to the castle and this is was the first place that came into my mind…in my room." He paused, an uneasy sensation haunted him; it surely looked like he had kidnapped an unconscious girl into his dorm. "I tried to perform a magic check up on you, but I'm afraid it didn't work. I should have taken you to Madame Pomfey..."

"No, I don't want to see Poppy again!" She reacted as if she had been bitten by a poisonous insect. "I mean, that would have put me in trouble for sneaking out the castle…You didn't report me this time, I appreciate that". She wrapped herself tighter in that cloak resembling more and more like a cocoon.

"_Why haven't I come up with that excuse myself?_" He thought.

Luna then become aware of the warmth of the oversized cloak she was wearing, the cloth felt so soft against her skin and smelled fresh _"….just like….green apples…_" She hissed

"What?" The surprise in those grey eyes was evident; he was starting to believe she was experiencing some kind of hallucination.

"This cloak smells fresh… like green apples." She curiously caressed the green serpent on the crest with her index finger. "….your cloak".

"That's how clean clothes smell like…" When he realized how unnecessary rude he sounded; he added "I've got plenty, you can keep it, since you lost yours…"

"Actually, it was stolen…." He closed her eyes, hiding partially her head inside the cloak.

"…by the _Nargles_…right…" Draco considered a lost cause checking up the source and origin of her delusional stories.

"Missing quidditch? That's why you were on the forbidden forest, right? Riding your broomstick…" Luna's eyes wondered around the room.

"I…just miss flying". He didn't want to lie to her; it was time to talk straightforward. "I saw some strange white lights on the forest that caught my attention….what were you two doing in the forest?"

"Harry and I were just playing with our Patronus…"

Luna made a quick clockwise inspection of the room: the fireplace was in front of the bed then followed the main door, a wall mirror, on the right was a smaller door, probably the loo, then a large window to her left followed by a desk with a large library full with books.

"How can you possible _play_ with a Patronus charm?" He asked.

"Harry taught me how to produce a corporeal Patronus. It took me a while for it to take its shape. What does your Patronus look like?" She opened her eyes with wonder.

"I haven't come across a Dementor…therefore I don't know". He pulled his hair back in a nervous way.

"I bet you'll manage to make a full corporeal charm without problem. Aren't you curious to find out your protector animal form?" Seemed like she was the one eager to find out what would look like.

"Not really…" He answered with apathy.

"What to see mine?" She took her wand and cast the charm, a silvery hare jumped with joy all around the room making funny pirouettes.

"A…rabbit?" He sneered.

"You try now. Think about a happy memory, about the last time you grinned from ear to ear, giggled, or laughed out loud. That was a hint…you were having fun!" With that kind of encouragement, he had no option but to stand up, take out his wand and cast the charm.

He tried to order some of his memories, searching for a true happy moment…with sadness he realized it was taking him longer than expected.

"Expecto Patronum!" Some timid silvery sparks come out from the wand.

"The things we do for fun are often hard work, repetitive; or scary…but we have fun doing them! Happiness is born from optimism, its importance tends to get lost or overlooked…Just don't lose sight of what started it, focus…" She said with a confident smile.

"_Don't push me!"_ He muttered with frustration.

What memory could he use this time? He searched deeper this time until he fond out something that would work for the charm: The day Lucius Malfoy was arrested he felt like heavy weight was finally being lifted from him.

"Expecto Patronum!" This time a large silvery figure came into focus; it was an elongated silhouette that crawled slowly on the air. Looked like half of the Dark Mark.

"It looks like …." She looked puzzled.

"It's a serpent. That would make perfect sense, doesn't it?" Draco's face turned whiter, without the slightest trace of emotion.

"Of course, you're a Slytherin. Serpents are as different from all animal species as the human race, but at the opposite end of the scale. If mankind may be regarded as standing at the end of a long evolutionary struggle, the cold-blooded, armless, hairless, featherless creature called serpent is at its very beginning. Mankind and serpents are opposites, complementary and rivals the one to the other. So there is something of the serpent in all of us. Besides, it represents the most life-generating powers in the universe…" Luna slowly explained.

"…and also represents energies of comparable darkness and destruction. Don't forget that I'm the son of a Death Eater therefore everybody thinks I'm one too". He lowered the wand and all traces of the silvery reptile vanished.

"Anyway, the serpent's ambiguity has occasionally been integrated into a single form: such as the snake swallowing its tail as an image of integrated duality in life and death…symbolizing the balance of creative and destructive forces…" Her words echoed inside his head.

"What if they're right, what if what they say about me is true?" He unconsciously scratched his forearm.

"What if?" She fixed her amethyst blue eyes in the cold grey abyss of his.

"I…" He unbuttoned the sleeve, exposing his marked forearm to her "…have His mark".

It was an almost invisible silhouette drawn on his skin at the time for it only achieved corporeal and vivid form by request of its maker.

"So you're saying that a mark burned on the flesh is actually the mirror of the soul?" She looked unexpectedly calm, as if she already knew his secret.

"I wasn't under the imperious curse when they did it for I know how to resist it. I was fully aware of what was going on when I was marked" He confessed almost unconsciously.

"Indeed you were aware of the consequences if you did not cooperate…" She shot back.

"How can you possible know all this?" He wondered.

"I just do". She looked at him and sighed.

"I see…"

"Quid rides?(i)" Luna wondered why he kept just staring at her with a mocking laugh.

"Id tibi praebet speciem lepidissimam!(ii)" He thought that the green and black suited her perfectly, she could have passed for a Slytherin student without trouble: intelligent and beautiful pure blood girl.

"Oh Merlin!" She quickly got up from the bed almost tripping with her snickers placed by the side of the bed and walked to the wall mirror facing opposite the window. Her eyes were now silvery grey. 'this has nothing to do with the fact that we're pure bloods, this is…something else".

"Okay, I confess I don't know why this is happening to us…Reducio!"

He flicked his wand with a natural grace, now his cloak was of a much smaller and shorter size, fitting perfectly Luna's slim body. He walked to where she was standing placing himself right behind her surprisingly pleased with their reflections on the mirror despite she was either too short or him or he was too tall. He gently caressed his chin against the dirty blond curls above her head.

"_I wish you were sorted into Slytherin" _He murmured without caring if she could hear him or not.

She turned back to face him. "I'm a Rawenclaw, like my father…my mother was the one sorted into Slytherin. She was the most selfish and loving person I ever knew, a wonderful woman…." She looked how slowly the blue light turned into grey sparks in Draco's eyes. "…and she carried the mark too".

Draco looked surprised and amused. Her mother was a Death Eater! Overcoming from the shocking news, he got even closer to her and cast a shape shifter spell: all traces of the Slytherin's origin were gone showing a brand new Ravenclaw's crest. The cloak was finally suitable for her.

"Look, we've got to stop denying what's happening to us. You fainted because you were fighting back. I could sense how were you feeling and that's why I got weak too, we've got to do something about it". Draco looked at her in a mysterious and seductive way.

"You knew ahead that I was going to faint?" She narrowed her eyes with worry.

"I felt your strength weakening, didn't know how but I felt as it was happening to me too". He confessed.

Draco gently placed both of his arms around her neck caressing with his index fingers the softness of her skin. He caught sight those funny radish earrings of hers and smirked. He could feel her shivering and got even closer. Draco welcomed her reaction, she wasn't fighting back, her lips were half-opened. Without taking his eyes off her he pressed his lips against hers, slowly deepening the kiss. Draco's tongue encircled hers with passion; his arms were holding her body with a possessive embrace. A hot air breeze haunted him followed by a sudden rush of energy that got possession of his senses as the kisses were getting stronger and deeper. He could feel her body reacting the same way he did, they were sharing the same flow of power.

"Wait…this is…too much". Luna was trying in vain to get rid of his dominant grip. Draco's strong arms refuse to let go of her.

"I never felt this good so give me a fair reason why should I stop kissing you". He didn't let go of his firm embrace and looked at her with fire in his eyes.

Luna just stood still, she opened her mouth to speak but close it shut immediately. Her lips were slightly swollen by the fierce passion of his kisses. She suddenly become aware of what had just happened; her first kiss had been with no other than Draco Malfoy.

"It hurts".

What Draco understood from her words was that he maybe got a little too carried away but Luna was speaking literally as for her lungs felt like they were slowly shutting down.

"Let me heal your lips…against mine". He teased.

"Don't play with me". She begged.

"I'm not!" He was shocked by her words.

"You're confusing me!" Her eyes refusing to meet his looked coldly at the floor.

"That's not my intention. I'm starting to enjoy being around you…a lot". He tenderly caressed her messy blond curls.

"I can't believe this is happening" Luna was fighting back the tears to come.

"Well, at fist I thought you've cast a love spell of something on me…" He mocked.

"That would make sense, right?" A small tear was coming down from her cheek.

"I though you hated me and wanted to trick me. I'm glad to know that no potion or curse was involved in this." He sneered.

"You're…glad?" She wiped the tears with the tip of her sweater's sleeve.

"Actually, I'm thrilled. You kissed me back and I certainly enjoyed that…" He gently lifted her head, cupping her chin in his hand.

"I'm afraid…" Sadness haunted her.

"You're afraid of me!?" He questioned her with sadness and shame.

"I'm afraid of the way you make me feel". She confessed.

"Come here…" He softly caressed the curve of her lips with one finger. "Luna, do you think I'm a monster?"

"You tell me, Draco, appearances can be deceiving". She teased and her pink blushed cheeks made her face look even more adorable.

"Let me hear your calling my name again…" He asked, taking her hands in his.

"Draco…"

That was all she could manage to say before start coughing, her eyes were already watering. Luna turned her back on him, stretched the sweater sleeves and covered her mouth with both hands while she continued coughing.

"Luna, what's wrong?!" He took out his wand and grabbing her firmly by the shoulder he made her turned to face him. "Anapneo!" Draco's spell seemed to have worked for Luna was breathing normally now; nevertheless he rushed to the loo and came back with a glass of water. "Come on, drink some water". His worried expression was evident.

Luna took small sips slowly emptying the whole glass. She returned it to him with a smile that disappear from her face once she looked down at the sleeves and found small blood stains. She quickly folded them beneath the cloak she was wearing without letting Draco realize what had just happened to her.

"Feeling better now?" Pulling her closer to him, he softly ran his fingers through the messy dirty blond curls pulling them back from her face.

"Thanks, I'm Okay". She lied with a sad smile.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**A/N:**

(i)Quid rides? (Latin): What are you laughing at?

(ii)Id tibi praebet speciem lepidissimam! (Latin): It looks great on you!


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER VII

**CHAPTER VII**

"_I'm going all the way, get away, please.  
You take the breath right out of me.  
You left a hole where my heart should be.  
You got to fight just to make it through,  
"cause I will be the death of you"._

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN - "Breath")_

She was curled like a cat by the side of the only large window of the room dressed with a cotton light blue nightdress and pink wool stockings. The cold of the night didn't seem to inflict on the girl's fragile complexion. She remained sited on the icy stone completely disconnected from the surrounding and lost in her thoughts with her eyes fixed on a distant flicking star. She kept running her fingers through her lips, the imprint of Draco's kisses were so vivid in her mouth. Closing her eyes and taking a long and deep breath she replayed in her mind what happened to her just moments ago. Draco refused to let her go, but the blond Slytherin's stubbornness melted down once confronted against Luna's moving pleas. She implored him to let her get back to the Ravenclaw's common room because it was already late in the evening. He reluctantly accepted slipping through that as prefect, he got access to her classes" timetable and he would know where to find her. It was not unusual for Draco Malfoy to threaten someone, but it was the first time he did it with a heart-breaking smile.

"_Dr__aco, when we kissed, I felt fire burning through my veins, like an inexplicable burst of power haunted me followed by a curious sensation of brilliant, fantastic and ravishing perfection. Your passion and energy filled me whole. Seemed like you took possession of my senses and connected them with your own. I was lost in you with each and every kiss, I never felt so alive." _Silent tears rolled over her cheeks.

Luna's roommates were all asleep and totally unaware of the troubled girl who couldn't seem to find a way to make herself go to sleep. Luna wondered around the room like a caged bird, desperate to find an exit and fly away from there as fast as possible.

"_I need to get out, I'm suffocating in here"_.

She quickly got dressed and came down the stairs into the Ravenclaw's common room which was empty at such late hour. She rested on the couch by the fireplace, staring at the dying flames, the room as so lifeless and cold. The bells of the enchanted clock hanged on top of the fireplace rang three times. She got up and started walking around the common room in circles.

"_It's three o'clock in the morning…I must get some sleep … I can't…I must think of something else instead….three o" clock…there are three elementary states for there is solid, liquid and gas….three primary forces, the positive, the negative and what's neutral….three dimensions for there is length, there is width and breadth….three basic shapes of galaxies, they can be elliptical, spiral and irregular ones…three furies: desire, mind and evil will…three sufferings: oldness, sickness and death…. death…death_". Luna muttered to herself without realizing how erratic was turning her stream of conscience.

"Lumos!" She ran through the dark and deserted corridors without the slightest idea where she was going. "I'm so sorry!" She replied to the paintings that were cursing at her for waking them up.

Luna slowed down her pace; her heart was pounding fast, drumming inside her head making her feel a bit dizzy. She made a stop next to a crystal display cabinet full of trophies and commemorative plaques. Shining gold cups, plaques, trays and vases with engraved letters decorated as well with rosettes carrying the colours of the house of the respective winner. Luna scanned the first row of prizes with curiosity. There were numerous of Harry's prizes won at quidditch matches… Hermione's outstanding performance, at mostly every subject, was represented in almost every award's shape and size…. a few of Ron's Wizard Chess Awards were there too. Then she caught sight of a group of prizes shining proudly with green and grey ribbons all lined in a row, they were Draco's "Potions Maker of the Year" awards… five consecutive ones and several plaques of remarkable achievements in alchemy.

"Draco Malfoy, you've won it every single year since you started at Hogwarts. Now I understand why Snape talks so high of you, you're remarkable brewing potions". She didn't realize a light was coming closer from the corner of the corridor where she was standing.

"Who's there?" Filch's raspy and loud voice made Luna's heart jump out of fear.

"_Nox_" She murmured looking for a place to hide.

"I know you're here, come out!" The warning tone in the man's voice was getting more and more audible as the caretaker fasten his footsteps towards Luna's spot.

She ran the opposite way in the search for an unlocked room or some other place to hide but the corridor was getting so dark that she couldn't see very much either. She pushed open a door and hide inside.

"_M__erlin!_ _That was close…_" She turned round resting her back against the door wondering where she was exactly.

A mixture of dust and dampness filled the air, the iridescent halo of the moon as only source of light to fill the place wasn't enough. She took a few steps hearing the sound of shattered glass crashing behind her shoes.

"What are you doing in my bathroom?!" An uninvited high-pitch girlish voice echoed inside the room.

The shining pale figure of a ghost approached Luna; it was no other than Moaning Myrtle.

"You cast such a wonderful and intense light in the shadow, I didn't know that was possible…" The blond girl pointed out with fascination.

"I…well…for your information, we ghosts can do a lot of things…." Myrtle was puzzled by the other girl's remark; nobody has ever noticed that before. She was only used to put up with people throwing things at her or calling her names. "You didn't answer my question".

"Hi Myrtle, I'm Luna Lovegood. I'm in Ravenclaw too". A soft smile curled Luna's lips.

"You happen to know in which house I was sorted into?" The ghost smiled back with amusement, welcoming the unexpected visitor. "You're Luna Lovegood? Oh! I happen to know who you are as well".

"I see...so you know people call me "Loony" and all that, right?" She sighed with resentment.

"Yes, but I mostly heard good things about you…" She winked an eye.

"Oh right! Harry is my friend too, he probably told you about the D.A and that I was part of it too…"

"Harry…he's so adorable!" The ghost said with a dreamy look.

"Yes, he's a wonderful person, a loyal friend and a great wizard". Luna smiled.

"Indeed, but someone else has been talking a lot about you as well. I've overheard him many times when he comes here, thinking he's all alone and speaks out his mind…he speaks mainly about you…" The ghost giggled.

"Who?" Luna's eyes opened wide.

"One day I just appeared in front of him, he was furious with me and made me swear I would not tell anyone what he was doing here so I promised him to keep the secret. He would have reduced this place to ashes with his unleashed rage if I didn't cooperate". Myrtle floated around Luna, inspecting her closely and let go a sigh.

"I understand. Nobody must know that I came here tonight, can you keep this secret too?"

"I believe I can do that for a Ravenclaw's mate". And then the ghost disappeared leaving the room in pitch black darkness.

"_T__hanks...friend"._ Luna whispered.

She opened the door trying to make the less noise possible, Filch was nowhere near. She continued to wonder round the corridor and found herself at the rest of a spiral ladder and decided to climb to the very top of the tower. The moonlight reflected on the vitraux window panels was casting eerie colour shades on the walls and floor. She heard the sound of a knob breaking off, a door swung open behind her, somebody was aware of her presence.

"_Where can I possible to go now?_" She whispered hoping the darkness will provide her a place to hide.

"Luna, I've been expecting you". Professor Trelawney opened the door leaving way for Luna to enter.

"Professor…you knew I would come here tonight?" The poor girl was slowly getting over from the fright.

"Indeed my dear, come in and sit please. Do you fancy a cup of tea?" Trelawney's aged voice asked softly.

She pointed towards a small table at the very centre of the divination classroom. Smoky white steam was coming from a funny shaped porcelain tea pot with a matching pair of cups displayed at opposite sides of it.

"Please take a sit".

Luna nodded and picked the furry armchair by the right. The cloth of the furniture felt so smooth and cosy that once sited she could almost swear it was like being among clouds. She rested her head back looking at the many chandeliers hanging from the ceiling; then turned to look at the female figure in front of her.

"Something happened today and since then I feel like I'm being dragged into the blackest pit of weakness and self-doubt. The more I resist and try to turn my back, the darkness increases in power and size". She picked up the cup with some difficulty for her hands were trembling and took a sip. Either the aroma of the infusion was exquisite or was the mixture of incense fumes that impregnate the room, she couldn't tell for sure.

"Oh my dear, what you're experiencing a conflict between opposite archetypes. The human psyche comprises the mind, the heart, the body, the spirit and the soul. Every human psyche is composed of basic elements called archetypes that built the personality; some have positive aspects while others carry negative ones. Sometimes we feel that we possess these powerful psychic energies, and at other times they possess us as if they were hidden magnets that attract and repel. The can fill us with radiant light, or overwhelm us with destruction and despair." The old woman emptied the cup in one large and loud sip.

"So…basically, I'm fighting between what's right and what's wrong?" Luna asked with bitterness in her eyes.

"No, it's a confrontation between your conscious awareness and your unconscious obliviousness...between your mind and your heart. Do you understand me, my dear?"

"Yes professor, I do". She clenched her fingers into the fine porcelain with resentment.

"You know how to read the tea leaves, don't you?" Professor Trelawney waited for Luna to finish her tea.

"I guess still haven't mastered it…" The girl's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and handled the empty cup to the professor.

Luna wasn't at all sure what to expect; she was also somewhat embarrassed by the awkwardness of the visit.

"Let's see…oh… it's a dragon….a celestial symbol! Dragons are seen as strict jealous guardians of a treasure. So my dear, what the tea leaves are telling me is that someone is watching over you because you're his treasure".

"My father will always watch over me". Luna replied feeling proud of having such a loving parent.

"Unfortunately I don't get to see him as much as I would like to since the beginning of the year. He's been hiding from the army of "He Who Must not be Named" because they want to silence him from telling the truth to the Wizardry World. His magazine is now the only free media left alive, all the other magazines and newspapers have been taken over by the Death Eaters, is the only source of truth we can rely on".

"I see…but I'm not talking here about you being protected by a parental figure, it's someone else". The old lady facial expression sunk in deep thinking.

"Oh, sure it's Harry and my friends from the D.A". Replied confident the girl.

"Nope, none of them I'm afraid…You'll see, the symbolism of the dragon is ambivalent. The opposite of a dragon is no other but himself …your guardian is duelling with his shadow. He's fighting between his very own darkness and light in order to protect you".

"What motivates him to do such thing?" Curiosity haunted those amethyst blue eyes.

"This is nothing but the outcome of his selfishness for his goal is to redeem himself in the process".

"So he's using me?" She raised her voice with an accusing tone.

"Wait a moment dear, do you happen to know this person? Because from your questions I would swear you already met this guardian of yours…" The professor reluctantly scratched her forehead.

"Yes, I mean…no! Well….I can't tell for sure". Her cheeks blushed with shame.

"Beware of his possessiveness for it's not protection and his ravenous surveillance is not love…" Trelawney warned looking serious.

"Something bad will happen to me, is that what you're telling me professor?" She asked knowing already the answer.

"The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it. Oh my dear, you're in mortal peril!"

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	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER VIII

**CHAPTER VIII**

"_You are an asshole  
King of the castle  
I am the meager  
Follow the leader  
And I know that you don't  
Like the way that it goes  
We're all in, so begin  
Just remember: I win"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN - "No Games")_

With the outbreak of an imminent war even the Halloween's spirit has been cut back at Hogwarts, but nobody seemed to argue about that and even appreciate the fact that all fake blood puddles and hanging heads assortments were permanently banned from school grounds.

Draco meant his entrance to the Great Hall to be as unnoticed as possible, hoping the festivity's banquet would distract the students. Nevertheless, a great number of faces rolled instantly pointing his direction once he walked in. The many silent faces that kept staring at Draco didn't seem to be happy about his presence with the exception of one, a tall and slender male figure from the Slytherin table stood up, waving at him. The blonde smirked at Blaise Zabini, the only member of the house he considered worthy to talk with. Blaise had always put up with Draco without a trace of fear, unlike the rest of the others, for he looked up to him and the respect was mutual between both of them.

"Malfoy, Happy Halloween! I was starting to believe you were either used to starve yourself to death or have converted into cannibalism for good". Zabini called out pushing aside, without the slightest courtesy, a couple of his classmates to make enough room for the blonde to sit next to him.

"Add necrophilia to the list too…" He spoke out loud as he passed by, throwing a cold stabbing stare at Pansy.

"_Hey Draco, joking aside, I'm glad you decided to join us"_. The black haired teenager muttered so that nobody could hear but Draco. "_You look great…almost lifelike! You'v spent a good night sleep, for a change?_"

"I don't know what you're talking about Zabini". The blond protested a little amused by his mate's straightforwardness. That was true though for he couldn't recall spending a night as soundly asleep as the last one, without nightmares or sad memories.

Draco finally took sit and poured some juice into his glass, he summoned the toast Crabbe had just finished spreading butter and marmalade over and, with a triumph funny face, took the first bite.

"Hey, come on!" Complained the fat boy and without spending another second he started preparing another while munching a pair of muffins altogether in his mouth.

"Well, I did my best to help a lost cause…" Draco sneered with mild sarcasm at the stuffed pinata-like boy performing the functions of mastication and deglutition in record-time.

From time to time, the blond prefect reluctantly stretched his back to catch a better view of the Ravenclaw's table from where he was positioned. He was looking for a certain tiny girl of long blond messy hair and amethyst blue eyes, owner of the most seductive lips he swore no one, in heaven or earth, would ever kiss except for him.

"…so you're in, right?" Blaise squeezed with camaraderie the blonde's shoulder waking him up from his day-dreaming

"What!?" Draco came back from his thoughts with an abrupt crash into reality.

"I'm talking about the match we've always held secretly at Halloween. So it's all settle then, tonight we'll honour the tradition man!"

But the Slytherin's golden seeker didn't have the chance to reply because his euphoric classmate already made the thumbs up to the others while slapping Draco's back with enthusiasm.

"All right, enough! You'll make me throw up the food I hardly managed to digest". He protested under his breath.

Little by little the students were leaving the Main Hall heading to their respective classes and Draco was still waiting for her to appear. He was running out of excuses to remain there, he finished making cruel jokes concerning almost the whole table and the idea of passing more food was out of the question. His closed stomach felt so full, and he barely finished a toast and a glass of juice. Despite it was probably the second of third time in the year he showed up for breakfast he never paid attention before to Luna's whereabouts. He wondered if she was the type of girl who would wake at the crack of dawn to eat breakfast very early in the morning or is she preferred to catch up as more sleep as possible in the morning and be content with a quick bite to start the day, or if she just didn't show up at all.

"_S__o, one thing we'v got in common, we hardly show up for breakfast"._ He thought, picking up his things ready to go and leave the table when he saw her entering the Great Hall in a bit of a rush looking up at the enchanted ceiling. She was visible delighted with the illuminated floating pumpkins carved with funny faces honouring the festivities.

"_Damn, she does show up…_" He started cursing himself for not having waiting a bit longer, now that he was standing and ready to leave the table, he got no option but to leave the room. He even didn't get the chance to take a proper look at her for her face remind hidden behind the magazine she was reading.

Draco headed slowly towards the first class of the day, making several stops in between to call out the attention of some first years that were still clueless about where to head to; confiscating some Zonko's and Weasley's trick boxes and why not a couple of candies from some troublemakers as punishment, the life of a prefect was indeed a good one.

He was placing the booty inside his schoolbag when something made him look up across the hall: it was Luna Lovegood who came from the corridor.

They made a slightly eye contact, for he quickly glanced away when one of his classmates called out his name, they exchange a few words and both parted opposite ways.

Luna kept staring back at Draco while walking to her classroom when she bumped into a tall boy making her loose balance, dropping most of the things she was carrying into the floor. The boy just continued walking as if nothing had happened. Draco saw the whole sequence out of the corner of his eye and noticed that no-one stopped to check on her or help her out, seemed that not a single soul was aware of her presence. He didn't think twice and walked across the corridor with hands on his pockets pacing the floor as if counting slowly the steps that took him to get where she was standing.

"Sleepyhead, are you experiencing trouble so early in the morning?" He asked half curious half teasing.

Luna didn't answer. She was busy picking up quickly her things without saying a word. Once she lifted her head to see who was standing by her side, her pupils dilated while looking at him and she blushed a bit.

"_S__o you're happy to see me"_. He was carefully reading her body language enjoying every second of that encounter.

"That boy came out from nowhere walking fast and I hadn't got the chance to get out of his way". She looked simply frustrated with whole situation, looked like she was punishing herself for being so careless.

"How terrible, he almost ran you over…" He lifted one eyebrow with wonder.

Luna giggled nervously back at him covering her timid smile with one hand.

"Did I become funny all of a sudden?" He pulled back his hair while stretching up his back.

"What? I don't understand". She looked at him puzzled.

"Why are you laughing then…I'm missing something here? He crossed his arms bending his body slightly towards her.

"I…just…" Her voice felt cracked and dry.

"_Well, well…you really like me." _He was laughing inside. "Seems you're forgetting something, is this yours?"

He picked up a small notepad slightly caressing her open palm once he handled it over. He could felt how she shivered like a leave with such soft touch.

"Thanks Dra…Malfoy" She replied trying to copycat his coldness, looking at his pearl grey eyes with sadness.

"You're welcome, Luna". He turned his back at her and headed to his class.

Inside the notepad was a chocolate frog card, a glowing smile illuminated the girl's innocent face, she just stood there unable to pronounce a single word.

"_I'm glad you don't think I'm heartless". _He muttered under his breath without looking back.

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Two teenagers fully dressed in their luxurious quidditch gear and brooms were walking towards the field. They reached the entrance and looked up at the other twelve Slytherin players waiting for the pair to join in and start the match. The one on the left was a good looking dark haired boy, probably or two inches taller and more strongly built in comparison with the one on the right who was visible more slender but yet invidiously handsome blonde.

"I wonder how you managed to prepare all this without my help, without me even knowing". Draco threw an accusing glance at his mate.

"No offence mate, but since you were appointed prefect and left us all in oblivion, I had to take charge of the situation". Blaise replied with accomplished ease.

"You had to bribe the other prefects, head boys and head girls to keep their mouths shut about this. The field is closely watched, I was appointed here during some of my night rounds. How did you do it?" He demanded to know scratching his chin absently.

"If I told you, I would have to kill you. Besides, you would have done almost everything to prevent this from happening". The agile minded replied.

"As if you ever did something just because I said so!" Draco accused with disbelief.

"As long as there's something I can get out of it, why not?" Shot back the other with a mocking face looking innocent.

"Swindler!

"Sue me!" Blaise stick out his tongue and mounted on the broom

"Come on chaser, our team is waiting". The golden seeker smirked as he held out his hand.

"Yeah, let's crush them!" Blaise reach out with a tight good handshake.

Both comrades hurried towards the rest of the players and took position. Draco made a fast scan at his players, they were classmates of his same year, then he stated at the opposite team, seemed that only the toughest male members of seven year were present there and not exactly with happy faces. Suddenly a thought shook him: this was not going to be a friendly match.

Twenty minutes had passed and neither of the teams had scored any point and there were no sings of the snitch. The beaters of the opposite team were merely throwing the bludgers at Draco and the other members with extreme and unjustified brutality without paying attention if they were scoring any point whatsoever, and the other seeker didn't bother to search for the snitch.

"Wake up, will you!? Are we going to play quidditch or not?". Draco shouted with indignation at the players of the opposite team.

"What's your problem?" One of the gorilla-like beaters from Draco's opposite team laughed.

"Let's play people, stop fooling around!" The blond replied clenching his teeth.

"No, you stop! Who you think you are by bossing us?" The beater approached him, drilling his middle finger into Draco's chest.

"I'm warning you, stop now or you'll regret it". Cut icily the blonde.

"Blah, Blah… You're so full of it!" This time he almost tumbled Draco off the broom.

In a flashing split of second Draco he caught his opponent's middle finger and with a stunning pirouette he placed himself behind him, pressing the guy's hand against the back of his opponent.

'stop now or I'll push your disgusting thick finger, along with the rest of your arm, deep down inside your filthy shitty arse!" Draco teased, half joking half serious.

"He would be literally fucked up: a time-bomb full of shit!" Blaise laughed out loud balancing cheerfully from his broom.

"You're pathetic Malfoy! You claim to be a Death Eater leaving your father to rot in Azkaban? I'm glad that filthy mother of yours is dead, she was spreading all kind of accusations towards my family as well!" Another massive beater exclaimed out loud for everyone to be able to hear.

"How dare you speak evil of me or my mother? Take it back or consider yourself dead man!" Draco warned with impulsive desperation on his voice. He reluctantly released his victim after pressing a sensitive part on the guy's arm leaving the limb completely numb and useless, at least for a few couple of hours.

"Never! My father was been seized by the Order for inspection, it's your fault for choosing that dead bitch over your father". The second beater tossed out.

"Langlock! You filthy piece of shit!" The blonde's face transfigured into the vivid mask of sordid rage.

Draco, determined and pissed, made a skyrocket dive towards the target, his robes waving in the wind, and collided in full with his adversary. They both fall to the ground, the brooms shattered on the field. What a bizarre feast to the eyes: the slender gracefully feline aligned silhouette of the golden seeker was beating the hell out the massive humanity of his victim. The blonde was too fast and extremely agile for his counterpale to fight back. Draco knew exactly where to strike the punches in order to deactivate the strategic points of energy on his enemy's body, leaving it incapable of any movement and reaction. But suddenly his self-control snapped off and started using the motionless body as an oversized punch bag.

"Draco, come on mate, stop!" But Blaise nervous solicitude didn't reach Draco's ears.

The black haired boy, the same who minutes ago had tried to make clear to the rest of the people present this was a one on one fight and nobody should interfere, was already entering into panic and stepped into the scene.

"STOP! You're going to kill him!" The chaser yelled with ill desperation.

Draco just froze still; he removed his blood soaked protecting gloves and pocketed them. He proceed then to pull his blond blocks back with his bruised and sore fingers and looked at Blaise, then at the people around him and finally at the amorphous blood covered sack of bones and flesh beneath him, seemed the guy was slowly chocking with his own blood.

"There are 215 bones in the human body, I've only broke a few and quit whining for you can pretty well swallow a pint of blood before you get sick". With unchallenged supremacy he climbed down from the battered remaining of this adversary. "You've just picked the wrong man to fight with. I'm Draco Malfoy, don't you dare to provoke my anger ever again!"

"What are you doing man?" Blaise's paper white face was far from recovering after what he just saw.

"Teaching!" Draco limited to explain with celebrated mild insanity at his mate while tapping him gently on the shoulder.

Then the blond spoke out loud looking at his victim with revulsion and the others with sterile hatred.

"If I were you I'll be careful who I talked to about this. If I happen to hear one word about what just happened here, be sure that would be the very last breath you take before you die".

Dead silence enclosed the quidditch field.

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	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER IX

**CHAPTER IX**

"_I just can't take your breath away  
you cut me down  
you know I'll always be around  
so now I wait  
I know you'll live another day  
come and take my breath away  
look me straight in the face."_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN - "Next to Nothing")_

Two Ravenclaw students from second year, a boy and a girl, were chatting amusingly as they exited the Grat Hall late in the afternoon heading towards the dungeons to their potions class.

'That's obviously the result of the stinging jinx…" The boy pointed out in disgusted protest.

"I'm telling you, someone performed the furnunculus charm on him". The girl lectured with confidence in her tone.

"How do you think he got caught in the first place…a trip jinx?" His mate wondered looking at her completely puzzled.

"Wrong again! It was either by using a stupefying charm or a fully body-bind curse…" She replied with feminine capriciousness.

"How strange he couldn't remember a thing about what happened to him, it has passed almost a week and no hints whatsoever". The boy pointed out dumbfounded.

"I bet the one who did it performed a confundus jinx or memory charm on him. Well, that's what I would have done if I where the one behind the incident". The girl explained him with prudential wisdom in her words.

"Let's cross our fingers so that he never recovers his memory! He's such a hideous and disgusting bully, everyone hates him. He got what he deserved." The boy claimed with accelerated joy.

"Heil anonymous avenger!" The girl shouted without restrictions.

A couple of tall meagre male silhouettes scanned the whole scene with observant eyes from the opposite side of the corridor.

"Sieg Heil!" The black jet teenager exclaimed, raising his right arm, standing in front of his mate clicking simultaneously the tips of his shoes.

"Blaise, why don't you just shut up?" Draco protested with a cold and unemotional tone.

"You're now officially cursed with the three terrible karmas: to be beautiful, rich….and famous!" Blaise let go a hilarious outburst of laughter.

"Piss off!" Shot back the blonde with annoyance.

"It's the truth, face it! You even qualify to be my next stepfather!" Shocking amusement was drawn into his face.

"You better keep away that black widow mother of yours from my sight!" Draco warned sarcastically.

"Yeah man, that's really sick, even coming from me! Anyway, I know it's too soon but, do you happen to know with whom are you going to the Yule ball?"

"What? There's going to be a Yule Ball this year?" Draco asked with striking disbelief in those grey stone cold eyes of his.

"Yes! See what you've missed today for not coming to lunch?"

"Must be Dumbledore's ingenious plan to keep us unaware of what's going on outside this walls, this is just pathetic!" He crossed his arms with frustration.

"The same thing crossed my mind. So, who would be the lucky one?" Blaise raised an eyebrow and looked back at his mate.

"I've got to think about it…" The image of Luna flashed inside his mind and become aware that since the Halloween's incident he'd been locked up inside his shell falling into oblivion once again.

"Pansy maybe?" Blaise shrugged with dismay.

"Hell no!" Draco said sticking out his tongue placing a finger down his throat mimicking throwing up.

"Who then?"

"Well, this is when I must take advantage of the three terrible karmas, right? It will be easy cake."

"What if that person refuses to go with you?" Blaise asked with unfamiliar coldness.

"Two words: Imperious curse." The blonde smirked.

"Now you're talking man!"

"Got to go to ….see you later!" Draco left after throwing a mocking frowned face to his mate.

"Don't do that or you'll wrinkle your face, pretty boy! Blaise replied ironically.

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Draco was pacing up and down through the library flipping through the pages of an ancient book to complete the notes he took that morning during Study of Ancient Runes class.

"_T__he Rune Hagalaz carries drastic changes and disruptive forces. Pertho symbolize the discovery of hidden truths and buried secrets and Ehwaz reveals the existence of telepathic links and adjustment". _He muttered to himself with a tragic tone.

The library was unusually crowded; he passed through several tables looking for a place to take a sit away from the crowd with no luck. He was reconsidering taking the book to his room where he could have privacy when, miraculously, he caught sight of an empty table at the corner of the room, behind the stairs that lead to the archive storage room.

"_Finally!" _He proclaimed victorious.

It was not until he was a few inches from it that he discover it was already taken by a girl who seemed to be fast asleep over a pair of books as improvised pillow. Her face was disguised under a mass of untamed dirty blond curls. Draco spent some time studying her with bemusement and, taking one of the blank pieces of parchments by her side, made an origami crane.

"_Wake her up"._ He whispered giving live to his creation.

The bird drew a few circles on the air before rubbing the wings against the sleeping beauty's nose. Luna snapped awake from the sudden itchiness looking around with disoriented look. She caught sight of the bird before it consumed itself into ashes.

"Uhmm…?" Her puffy eyes stared blankly at the figure in front of her. The blurred vision slowly came into focus recognizing the mocking pale face looking back at her.

Draco took sit across the table without saying a word to her. He leaned the book on the table by his right and proceeded to unpack all he needed to start working on his class notes. Once he got all set: quill, flask of ink, parchment and the book he fixed his smoke grey eyes on her.

"You don't mind me sitting here, do you?" He asked raising enigmatically an eyebrow.

Luna didn't reply; shrugged her shoulders and let go a soft purring yawn.

"It's late in the afternoon and you look like you've just came out of bed". Draco brushed with both hands his blond blocks pulling them back, he then ran his fingers towards the back of his neck with a soft massage fixing his stare into her amethyst blue eyes.

"I can't tell for sure when I'm really asleep or when I'm really awake. I felt like I haven't slept for days…" She abruptly became silent for she was feeling a funny sensation coming from behind her back.

"Well, you were surely catching up some sleep just moments ago". He sneered.

"What are you doing?" Luna asked in a frightened tone tapping the back of her neck.

"Testing a mirroring charm and, from your reaction, I conclude that it works just fine". He replied with an implicit victory.

"Don't!…Stop!". Her pink cheeks blushed with shame.

"I wasn't going to…" Draco's eyes glittered with celebrated joy.

"Please stop!"

"But you've just told me _don't stop._ I'm just doing what you're asking me". He protested trying as hard as he could to look serious.

"What? I didn't say that! I meant for you to stop, right now!" She looked really uncomfortable with this whole situation.

"Okay then! If you don't mind waking up with a sore neck, why should I care?" He crossed his arms angrily against his chest.

"How did you know my neck sore?"

"What have I just said, sleepyhead? It's the mirroring charm, for your information it works both ways." He replied with a bossy lecturing tone.

"I've never heard of it before…." She glanced around, frowning slightly.

"Well, you shouldn't limit your knowledge with what they teach you here at Hogwarts".

"You're saying it's dark magic then?" Luna's agile mind concluded.

"You've said that, not me. It seems you're fully awake now". The shadow of an approving smile was drawn in the Slytherin's face.

"I wasn't sleeping if that's what you're implying. I was actually meditating upon the vice of idleness". Luna's eyes were wondering in the nothingness.

Draco sighed with resignation rolling his eyes, he stretched his back against the chair counting slowly to ten inside his mind refraining himself from adding an acid comment…without success.

"_Insomnia induces to delusion"._ He icily whispered under his breath.

"Maybe it's that, but existence is both a horrible and fantastic dream where nothing is yet what it seems, so the simple act of breathing induces us towards this". An invisible accumulated burden took over her.

"I agree, though it's when you wake and the nightmare is the true existence and the dream the escape". His voice trailed off vaguely haunted with flashes of his past.

"…now it all makes sense". She unconsciously caressed her lips wondering if the memory of Draco's kisses was something she imagined in a dream.

"Your state is desperate, no question. You need to lighten up".

"I'm loony, remember?"

The faint and failing tone in Luna's voice echoed in Draco's head. Moving closer the chair, he leaned over and grabbed her hand from across the table. Luna's eyes resembled a bottomless sea of amethyst blue water; she was fighting back the tears. Draco tightened his fingers with a reassuring grip after letting go of her hand.

"No, you're not. That's how fools disguise themselves their incapacity and you're a clever girl. Who's that working out for you?"

"Peachy" She replied, shrugging her concern away.

"Have you finished your paper about those blood-thirsty beasts?" Draco considered that a sudden change of subject would provide a provisory solution to gloomy scenario.

"You mean _vampires_? Well, they're not merely creatures ravenous for blood. The core of the vampire's power does not come from within: it's generated by the partner, the beloved one. Only if they're together they could achieve a pure symbiosis and consummation. That would be the closest they will ever get to a so called redemption…"

"That's so lame! If you pretend to handle that girlish novel to Snape, you're mental. The acts of the vampires are compulsive, they certainly lack of options to choose from... But whether they like it or not, they must be fed or they'll simply die: they live only by killing others. They're animals, beats, whatever except misunderstood…creatures". Draco froze still, cursing himself from giving away the fact that he overheard her weeks ago when she was talking to the bloody Baron.

"Why are you telling me this?" Seemed that Luna didn't relate the term she used before when addressing the vampires or was furious with him for dilapidating her research.

"Because emotions are diseases of the heart to the head, but they're mainly human and they nothing to do with the vampires!". Draco's crushing words silenced her…not for long though.

"Then tell me where comes their basic instincts, from their mind alone? From the very same apparatus with which us, humans, think what we think and always refrain to delegate its functions to other organs such as the heart? You're telling me that vampires are just like us: pathetic rational creatures?" Luna's cheeks were turning red with both anger and impotence.

"What I'm saying is that you're going to get yourself a T.R.O.L.L if you continue focused in this course of thinking". He was piling up a huge amount of patience inside him to cushion an imminent explosion of rage towards her.

"You didn't mean what you've say earlier then, that I was clever, you've lied to me". The weight of her words was charged with an unbearable pain.

"Merlin! I'm trying to help you out here, okay? So difficult is for you to accept some help from time to time?" Draco stamped a fist on the table with a diminishing self-controlled force.

"The thing is…I'm not used to". She was sobbing quietly.

"There's always a first time for everything".

"I'm sorry…" She said biting her lower lip.

"Me too…but I'm not sorry for kissing you the other day". He picked up his things and got up from the table.

"_S__o it wasn't my imagination, it was real…" _She hissed.

"And there you've got another thing to cross out from the list of things you're not used to". He replied with a devilish smirk and left.

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A/N:

Okay, the "Mirroring charm" is not a canon HP charm, I've made it up and I'm proud of it 


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER X

**CHAPTER X**

'_So__ clever,  
Whatever,  
I'm done with these endeavours.  
Alone I walk the winding way.  
Here I stay  
It's over,  
No longer,  
I feel it growing stronger._

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN - "Until the End")_

That morning he arrived early for class, in fact since beginning of first year, he always tried to show up early at Snape's classes. In the past had been Potions this year was Defence against the Dark Arts. What impelled him to do this wasn't exactly because he had a natural talent for either subjects, it was something else: he was just terrified of Snape and the idea of making his professor angry towards him paralyzed the poor teenager.

Neville's eyes wondered around the classroom without stopping at a fixed point for too long for he felt his stomach curling into a knot whenever he caught sight of the endless stuffed creatures soaked in formaldehyde inside flasks piled all around the classroom.

A tall and healthy athletic male figure with messy black jet hair took seat right next to him dropping carelessly the heavy schoolbag on top of the desk with a loud heavy noise.

"Neville! What's up? Why the sad face?" A pair of emerald green eyes stared at him with wonder.

"I don't have a date for the ball". He replied with sad puppy dog eyes.

"No wonder, you haven't even asked anyone out yet! Have you talked to Luna?" Harry frowned while searching through his bag for a quill and parchment.

"I guess I could ask her out. We're best friends and that would make sense, right?" He looked nervous waiting for his Harry's approval on the idea.

"Of course, friends stick up for each other. I believe no-one has invited her yet, but you better hurry".

"You don't have to worry anymore about asking girls to the ball, you've got yourself a girlfriend". Neville let go a silent sigh and shrugged.

"Yes, it's the first time I'm not terrified about the whole Yule Ball thing. After Dumbledore's announcement, I just glanced at Ginny and she nodded so I've solved the matter in seconds. We don't need words to communicate what we feel for each other anymore, it's incredible!" Harry's face flushed a bit, his eyes glittering with happiness.

"Wow…that's…awesome". Neville replied with a selfishly happy face. But his facial features shut down immediately when he caught sight of who was sitting two rows far from them. "Look at Malfoy, he's staring right back at us, looking very angry. He gives me the creeps!"

"Sometimes I think he can actually listen to what we're saying, using dark magic of course". Harry replied tapping unconsciously his scar.

"Absopositively!" Neville nodded fixing his eyes at the front of the class.

Harry remained silent staring at his friend for a while and frowning a bit, and then laughed quietly at such funny remark.

With a crashing thunder-like sound Snape stroke the classroom doors shut and walked straight to his desk.

"Today we'll study the Ghouls…open your books at 'the Dead and the Undead" section… page 239". His voice sound dry and rasping. He coughed and, once noticing a minor improvement on his vocal cords, he glanced at the present students with a stabbing stare. "NOW!" He ordered with a whip-lash shout.

"Can somebody tell me what a Ghoul is?" Snape asked quietly after taking a sit behind the desk.

"Is there anyone in the class with a significant amount of active brain cells able to tell me some characteristics and basic information concerning the Ghouls?" This time he asked with an alarming tone in his voice at the lack of response from the class.

"Ghouls are eaters of human flesh. They are humanoid in form, with big lantern eyes, long claws and rows of sharp teeth. They appear diseased and desiccated, with cracked lips, chapped knees, and fingers caked with disgusting remnants of their meals. Ghouls are impervious to pain, are immune to poisons and have amazing regenerative powers". Replied Hermione altogether without breathing in between the sentences.

"I've already warned you, Miss Granger, that I won't tolerate your annoying _I-know-it-all syndrome _in my class". Snape got up and, with hands against his back, he walked slowly towards her.

"Whenever a disease breaks loose, taking control of the body and mind, the sacrifice of the victim is the most merciful act". He closed his eyes, picturing what he just said inside his mind, curling his lips with morbid satisfaction. 'ten points from Gryffindor for her intolerable behaviour!". He shot back and returned to his sit.

"Ghouls are frequently confused with Vampires…can someone tell me their differences?" He asked this time with an unusual calm and low voice. "…Malfoy?" Snape caught eyes of his favorite student looking back at him.

"Unlike Vampires, the Ghouls are not harmed by sunlight and are not blood-drinkers". The blond limited to reply.

"Yes! Ten points to Slytherin". He looked pleased at last.

A gloomy dead silence haunted the classroom; everyone was hurrying up taking as much notes as possible from the blackboard before Snape erased them without waiting for those that couldn't keep up the fast pace.

Finally, the class came to the end but many students were still writing down the never-ending lines, Neville was one of them.

"Come on, let's go. You can borrow my notes if you want." Harry offered his friend with a tint of sympathy in his words.

"Five…ten….more minutes and I'm done. See you back at the common room!" Neville replied without removing his sight from the blackboard.

"Okay!" The black jet haired teenager picked up his bag and left the classroom.

Harry passed by some of his classmates in his way back to the Gryffindor common room when he caught sight of Draco's silhouette heading towards the entrance hall. Seemed that the blond prefect was alone, perfect time to have a small chat with him.

"Malfoy!" He shouted as he sped up trying to catch the elusive Slytherin.

Draco recognized immediately who was calling out his name but didn't bother to reply neither slowed down his fast pace. "_What now, potty boy?_" He thought while clenching his fists in anger.

"Malfoy, wait. I want to talk to you!" Harry was only a few steps behind him now.

"My time is precious and I won't spend it talking to you, Potter". He didn't look back and continue walking.

"I know what you're up to Malfoy, you and the rest of the Death Eaters". Shot back the black jet haired teenager with arrogance.

"You don't have the slightest clue about anything, potty head!" Draco smirked still without facing his accuser.

"Sectum…" Harry shouted with wand in hand.

"PROTEGO HORRIBILIS! Expelliarmus!" The Slytherin's reflects were too fast for his opponent to strike the blow.

Draco walked towards his opponent with blood shut eyes; his temper was dark and explosive.

"You're a filthy little coward! How dare you attack me from behind and with…Dark Magic!? You want to talk? Well, me too! I've been putting up with you for the last six years and I've reached the limit of my patience! You are a pathetic bastard who always needs someone to help you, someone to push you! If I hadn't stolen the remembrall ball from Longbottom and teased you to get it back, you wouldn't have become the youngest seeker in school. What about when we first duel? If I hadn't cast the serpensortia spell you still would be unaware of your ability to speak parseltongue. If I hadn't…" Draco's voice was chocking with anger and revulsion.

"Ok, I get the point, Malfoy". Replied Harry as he tried to get up from the floor.

"Do you? DO YOU?! I believe you haven't change a bit since first year. You say you value and honour friendship? Well, what can you say now in your defence when you denied my hand without giving me the slightest chance to get to know me? Answer me! You are so full of yourself that you think you can't learn from others because you're fucking almighty Potter!? Now tell me who has been boasting all this time with arrogance and vanity his superiority: was it me or you?" He just needed to get it all out from his chest, spit all the rage he'd been held up all this years. The Slytherin had just unleashed his most painful raw truth, at last.

"It was me…I've been wrong all this time". Harry confessed with disconcerted sadness in his emerald green eyes.

"Wake up call!" Draco's facial features reflected a shadow of comfort when contemplating his enemy's uneasiness.

"I'm sorry…I whish we could just forget everything that happened before".

"Well, the days of me forgetting are over, and the days of me remembering have just begun. I've realized I'm not a forgiving person. Crucio!" Sudden, without ceremony, like the arrival of a cannon-shot, the curse erupted from the wand in Draco's hand.

Harry's body was shaking in convulsive agony. The tall blonde got closer measuring with those icy cold grey eyes of him the imminent fall of his adversary. Draco's face was just a mask, never revealing his thoughts.

"I wonder why the Dark Lord marked you with the Ancient Rune _Sig_: it's the flaming sword, the terrible ziz zag lighting from the central sun. Every great work is always signed with this Rune. You're an unworthy vessel, without this scar, you'll be nothing but a filthy empty shell". Draco pressed the tip of the wand at the scar and released his victim from the curse, carefully pocketing his wand inside his robes.

"I bet you didn't have a clue about this, did you? Now even that mudblood of Granger figured that out". Draco stared at the agonizing figure crawling in the floor.

"What's going on here?" Shouted a female voice, it was no other than the Head of Gryffindor's House, Minerva McGonagall.

"Well, professor if I told you, you wouldn't believe me". Draco tossed out with undeniable truth in his eyes.

"Harry? Why are you on the floor?" She frowned looking very concerned.

"I just… fell". Harry's face was reddening with shame.

"You just fell to the ground?" McGonagall stared at Draco with an implicit scolding look.

"What's all this mess?" Snape's sharp voice demanded to know.

"Seems Malfoy and Potter have been involved in some kind of duel. Please gentlemen, handle me your wands". She reached out for them and handled Draco's to Snape.

"Prior Incantato". Snape's and McGonagall's voices echoed in the deserted corridor.

"Well, my student's wand had just performed a protecting and a disarming charm…" Snape said with a tint of relief in his voice.

"My student attempted to perform…a terrible dark magic curse against Malfoy!" McGonagall's eye-globes looked like they were going to pop out from their sockets.

"You, Potter, to the headmaster's office, now!" McGonagall shouted hurrying up the troubled Gryffindor to follow her.

Snape just stood there, piercing his ink black eyes into the vast greyness of Draco's sceptical look. A faint smile curled the lips of the elder man.

"Sir, do I have to go too?" The blond asked hating every second of that silent judgment.

"Of course not, you didn't do anything wrong". Snape left following McGonagall's trace leaving him alone.

"_I owe you one…Lucius". _The Slytherin smirked tapping gently the inner pocket of his cloak.

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Luna was reading the last pages of a book; her curious amethyst blue eyes wondered through the lines, she seemed to be in deep concentration. From where she was sited, across the length of a crumbling stone bench located close to the main entrance, she could see several groups of students coming and going from the corridors.

"Oi Luna!" Called out a dark silhouette standing in front of her.

The boy was standing right under the sun rays making impossible for Luna to tell who it was from her position. She narrowed her eyes, placing a hand to block the blinding sun rays.

"Hi Neville!" Her voice was whisper-soft and hesitant.

"I see you're finishing that book, was it good?" He took sit next to her.

"Actually, I've just started reading it". She smiled, closing the book over her lap.

"I always thought the joy of reading a book is not knowing what happens next. Why are you starting from the end?" He asked suddenly.

"Well, if you start a book with the end in mind, then you'll pay more attention at those little missing pieces you happen to elude when starting from scratch". Luna smiled again but this time a tint nostalgia blurred her eyes.

"I guess…." He scratched his chin nervously without understanding.

"I mean, why limiting the options and pick just one, when having countless ways to do things?" Luna leaned backwards and let go a sigh.

"What other options exist besides what's right and wrong?" Neville didn't even pause to think.

"Trouble is, there are no absolutes, and nothing is entirely right or completely wrong". She closed her eyes and took a deep breath filling her lungs with the late afternoon's cold breeze.

Neville looked at her dumbfounded.

"Luna, I want to ask you something." He said with a thread of voice.

"I'm all ears". She replied, still keeping her eyes closed.

"It's about the Yule Ball. I was wondering...has anyone asked you out yet?" He held his breath in admiring silence.

"She's going with me". A cold and familiar voice spoke out loud. She opened her eyes all of a sudden leaning forwards.

"Luna, you're going to the ball with… Malfoy?!" Neville's dislocated open jaw almost fall to the floor.

She opened her mouth so say something but immediately shut it and froze still. The abrupt awakening had produced a painful puncture on her back, refraining her from filling her lungs with air in order to speak.

"Like I've said before, she's going with me to the ball. Now that you know, get lost". Draco ordered to Neville looking at him with a stabbing stare.

"_Neville…I…". _She whispered holding his hand with a tight grip, but the boy let go of it with resentment and got up, leaving her alone with the Slytherin.

'I take your shy silence as a yes". Draco broke the silence and smirked, celebrating his overwhelming victory.

"Yes…" Luna swallowed heavily and forced herself to smile but this time the pain that she had been suppressing became painfully apparent, and she cursed herself for the moment of weakness.

Something in her voice…what is disappointment? Chilled Draco for reasons he didn't understood. He shook his head quickly.

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	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER XI

**CHAPTER XI**

"S_helter me from this again  
Dedicated to the end  
Help me break my conscience in  
To free us from our innocence"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN - "Break My Fall")_

The long-time awaited night finally arrived. The Yule Ball celebration was about to start at any moment. Giggles, murmurs and even exited shouts of the enthusiastic girls and boys echoed inside the castle's walls.

A pair of judging eyes examined the elegant, tall and slender teenager standing at the foot of the stairs. He was dressed in a two-piece single-breasted suit. His blond curls fashioned with hair gel like he used when he was younger. His image was surreal; Draco Malfoy was the embodiment of elegance and style.

"Why the blue necktie?" Blaise stared dully at Draco's face for a few seconds.

"I hate bow ties". The blond shrugged with disgust.

"I meant why that colour and I thought you were going to use a black tuxedo, like me". Blaise accused pointing at the penguin dull style he was wearing.

"I chose to wear this black suit instead, I feel more comfortable in it". Then clearing his throat the blond added "And the tie matches the colour of her dress."

"What!? You two have dressed up with matching colours?" The black jet haired teenager threw a sceptical stabbing stare at Draco.

"Amazing power of deduction!" He celebrated with mild coldness.

"You'll probably be the only one dressed in suit, did you realize that?" Blaise crossed his arms looking very angry.

"So? Who cares…besides you?" The blond raised and eyebrow looking suspiciously at his partner. "You're acting really annoying…more than usual". He caressed his chin looking rather intrigued.

"No more than Pansy! Did you know that the Head Girl had to lock her up after two and a half hours of girlish hysteria in front of everybody at the common room?" He said with eyes wide open, tongue out and a funny scary face mimicking Pansy's outburst.

"Her dysfunctional spoiled hormones are old news." Draco added with complete lack of interest.

"There's more to it, the reason of her breakdown was because she found out with whom you were going to the ball. She went mad, literally!" Blaise said throwing an accusing stare at the blond.

"She's desperately calling for attention, any excuse will do. Why don't they lock her up at St Mungo's mental wing for good?" Draco asked looking rather annoyed.

"Anyway, I just hate this whole ball thing". Blaise threw a fist into the wall looking frustrated.

"Me too, but now that we're here, let's take advantage of the situation as much as possible." Draco snorted while stretching his back.

"You don't understand…" Blaise clenched his teeth with evident impotence.

"Oh, you're pissed because some prick stole the girl you wanted before you even had the chance to ask her out?" He asked, walking towards him, hands in his pockets, showing the most sympathetic face possible. "If I were you, I would get even with the guy". The blond smirked.

"I might do that". The black jet haired boy replied swallowing any further signs of annoyance.

Draco kept staring at the top of the stairs waiting for Luna to show up. Patience wasn't exactly one of his virtues, but he knew well that Luna put it on trial almost every time they met. He was finding hard to cope with the idea of extending his settled limits of tolerance, but so far, he was pulling a good performance.

"_Why women take so long to get ready?" _Muttered under his breath as he turned his face again to check up the spot where she was expected to appear.

A girl dressed in blue came into view; she was wearing a two-piece dress: an embroidery corset top over a plain long lace skirt. Her dirty blond hair was pulled back, not very tight, in a bun, leaving some loose curls resting over her shoulders.

"There she is…" Draco held his tongue but still kept his mouth opened, like he was about to add a comment or say something else, but no word came out of his mouth. He just kept staring at Luna in silence.

"Hey you, phoenix!" Blaise called out, slowly rocking his body in a nasty obscene way.

Draco caught the joke as it emerged from his partner lips and rolled his eyes feeling sorry for Blaise's lack of decency in public.

"Oh mighty sparking bird on fireeee!"Blaise was singing with acracking laughter.

But Draco wasn't listening anymore; in fact everything around him, all the sounds seemed to shut down. The fast rhythm of his heartbeat was numbing his ears.

"Qualem muleirculam!(i)" Draco measured every inch of Luna's body as she went downstairs and offered his hand with dashing gallantry.

"Ne feceris ut rideam(ii)" She accepted with an approving smile.

Blaise's date, a Slytherin girl from 5th year arrived after Luna. Both couples walked towards the Great Hall.

"Ready people? Let's step inside." Called out Blaise.

The room was filled with the humming sound of mixed conversations and laughs coming from the students and schools staff as well, everybody was already there. The moment Draco and Luna stepped inside, the room fell into an expectant silence, the sound of people's talking ceased. All eyes stared at the new arrivals, all eyes focused on Draco Malfoy and the girl next to him. He looked so relaxed and comfortable, like he was enjoying every second of it, but that was part of a greatest façade, Malfoy style. Luna tighten nervously the grip on Draco's hand, he turned to her with a reassuring look. For the first time she experienced in the flesh the other side of the sad truth. She was used to be left out and underestimated by everybody. Right there she realized how difficult was for Draco too for he had to put up with the daily gossiping about his whereabouts, background and uncertain future. They were the opposite ends of a same cruel reality: he was in the spotlight and everybody knew, or wished to know, his every move while she walked through the mob as an invisible entity, like she didn't even exist. Luna came out of her thoughts as the first chords of a waltz started to play.

"Luna, will you give me the pleasure of dancing with you?" Draco asked with a humble politeness like the gentleman he was.

She nodded and let Draco lead her to the dancing floor. He placed his right hand beneath her left arm with his left arm extended so he could grasp Luna's right hand in his. Luna placed nervously her left hand on his shoulder. Draco's natural ability combined with Luna's perfect synchronicity to follow him made them stand out from the rest of the couples dancing.

"Say cheese!" The annoying mouse-like voice of Colin Creevey called out.

"FLEE!" Draco warned as he got closer and grabbed him by the collar. "_You better owl me those photos!_" He muttered to him.

The terrified boy nodded and continued to take photos of the other couples.

"Why do they keep staring at us?" Luna asked with discomfort in her emerald blue eyes.

"_Well, I can't blame them. You look…you are beautiful"_ He whispered in her ear trying to soothe her. But meant every word; he wanted so badly to kiss the soft line of her neck.

At the end of the series of waltz, the music stopped and food plates pop up at every table. He conducted Luna to their table. Blaise was already munching some of the delicious starters making several stops half way through the treaties to tell some jokes about mudbloods and muggles, his date found them quite hilarious.

"This is good! Come on you two, dig in!" The merry Slytherin invited as he caught sight of Draco and Luna approaching to the table.

"Nice dress." Blaise's date praised looking enviously at Luna.

"Thanks, it was my mother's, she made it herself". She replied blushing a little.

"Would she make me one for me too? Money is no problem, I'll pay her well." The girl said showing off her snobbish nature.

"She's…dead". Luna replied as she tried to swallow the sour taste of not having her mother with her anymore.

Draco looked at Luna, she was at the point of bursting into tears. He reached for her hand behind the table and caressed it tenderly. She looked back at him with those tearful amethyst gems of her. He wanted to hold her tight and bury his face in those blond curls of her; he wanted to ease her pain in everyway possible.

Interrupting right in the middle of the dinner, a band of musicians stepped into the main stage and, after they aligned the instruments, the first song started to play hard and loud.

"Come on Draco, dance with us!" Shouted Blaise intoxicated with euphoria

"Just check on those dancing, see how utterly stupid they look. Doesn't that give you a clue about yourself dancing?" Draco pointed out with sarcasm.

"Partypooper!" Shot back the black haired boy as he jumped like a maniac dragging her date with him.

"Go and make a fool of yourself, I won't." The blond frowned.

He turned to check out on Luna, she was rocking in the chair with her arms crossed tight against her stomach.

"_Not even Harry came to say hi, they hate me, they all turned their faces and refused to look at me, my friends hate me…."_ Muttered Luna while cursing herself.

"Want to catch up some fresh air?" Draco asked pointing the large balcony in front of them.

"Yes…" She said with a thread of voice.

"Come on, let's get away from this madness". He grabbed Luna's hand, got up and walked her to the balcony.

Snowflakes slipped over the crystal glass panel roof of the balcony provided for the occasion since it was freezing cold outside. Despite the protection a cold breeze leaked inside, the view was breath-taking. It was an ink black night with no stars; the untamed wind forced the snowflakes to create dancing silhouettes in the air.

"Here, take my jacket". Draco offered to Luna as he wrapped her from behind with his overprotecting arms.

"Thanks Draco". She blushed shrugging inside the jacket.

Luna's dreamy eyes wondered on the stunning snowing landscape. Draco leaned his head, caressing her silky skin with his cheek.

"Is this happening? Is this real?" She glanced about, a look of worry on her face.

"This is not a dream, we are awake now. The air we breathe, the way you're bathed in the moon light, having you in my arms, this is real". He turned to look at her and placed his arms around her waist bringing her closer to him.

"It feels…so good…" She shrugged feeling cosy in his arms.

"It's 100 per cent Draco's body heat". He sneered enjoying every second of it.

"Let's…go back inside". She recoiled, refusing to look directly into his eyes.

"But you've just said you feel fine here…with me". Draco cupped her chin in his palm and leaned closer.

"I…" She chocked.

"Then why go back, you weren't enjoying yourself back there". He said placing one of her untamed dirty blond curls behind her ear with tenderness.

"It's just that I'm starting to feel uncomfortable with your being so close to me". A tear rolled down her cheek.

"I've been looking at you, waiting patiently and I can take it any longer". He pulled her towards him, caressing her curls against his chin. _"You smell so sweet…so pure…I'm becoming addicted to you". _Draco whispered in between deep breaths.

"Draco…please…don't…" She rubbed her sore eyes.

"Luna, don't lie to me and say you're better off without me, don't push me away". Draco's pearl grey eyes never looked so determined.

"You…want to be with me?" She blushed, she felt overwhelmed and shocked at the same time.

"I have all the time in the world to make you mine. Tell me, would you like that?" He smirked and lifted her chin looking straight into her eyes.

She nodded as she became tongue-tied and nervous.

"I won't let you get away from me, ever again. Why are you fighting me?" He asked, honestly curious.

"Because…I love you…and it hurts…" She sobbed, tears falling again from her cheeks.

"It's understood…" He was swept away by her abrupt confession. Luna looked so fragile and helpless.

Draco put his hands around her neck kissing softly her rosy cheeks, wetting his mouth with her tears. Then he placed a small, very gentle kiss on her soft lips. He intensified the kiss slightly opening his lips encouraging Luna to follow him. He slowly slided the tip of his tongue inside her mouth, darting in and out teasingly but then he deepen the kiss circling her tongue with his own with aroused passion. If eyes are known to be the windows to the soul, then lips are the servants of the consciousness: they are able to convey what no words can, by kissing.

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A/N

(i)Qualem muleirculam! (Latin)- What a bimbo!

(ii)Ne feceris ut rideam (Latin) - Don't make me laugh.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER XII

**CHAPTER XII**

"_I got somethin' up my sleeve  
I know you will cover me  
Inside out and in between  
I know you will cover me  
I've got bruises on my knees  
I know you will cover me  
Inside out and in between  
And I know you will cover me"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN – __"Medicate")_

At this time of the year, during the Holiday's break, the school was left almost deserted. The majority of the students were spending Christmas with their families, with the exception of a few included a tall blond teenager dressed in black with a heavy overcoat over his shoulders. He was carrying a parchment with the names of the ones in his House leaving on the train that morning.

"I'm so happy you two are coming to The Burrow with us". A high-pitch girlish voice reached his ears.

He turned round and caught sight of Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny who was grinning from ear to ear. Harry looked up and saw Draco piercing those stone grey eyes at him, the black jet haired boy quickly turned his face and muttered the other three to get on the train as fast as possible.

"_I hope the four of you become permanent vacancies at Hogwarts"._ The blond said to himself throwing an ice cold stare at the quartet.

Right then pair of small boys rushed towards the train station with hot flushed faces, Draco checked them out of the corner of his eye while crossing their names from the list.

"Hurry you two, the train is leaving!" The prefect protested at the pair of first year students, who were now having trouble to lift their trunks into the wagon. "Locomotor trunks!" He smirked as the Slytherin boys greeted him from their sits.

A loud whistle followed by a dense heavy white smoke marked the departure of the Hogwarts Express from the platform. The train was hardly visible now, but Hagrid kept waving back at it with watery eyes, a Hufflepuff Head Boy already caught one of the carts back to the castle.

"_I'll surprise her tonight" _He thought imagining Luna's look once opening the Christmas present he ordered specially for her while heading towards an empty cart.

Draco was about to jump in when he felt a strange itchiness on his right forearm, the sensation was becoming really annoying within seconds. What had started as a ticklish itch suddenly became a maddening puncture that quickly spread all over his body. His vision began to dim as his air supply was cut off and it all went dark.

"Wake up, wake up!" Someone close to him was calling out loud, but all that Draco could hear were the tapping sound of the vowels.

Sweat was dripping from his face, his eyes still closed. His head hurt a bit, but the soreness of his forearm was completely gone. He opened his eyes, all was blurry around him. Suddenly he became aware that he was lying on the floor, resting his head on the arms of a stranger.

"Don't you dare to lay a finger on me ever again!". Draco recoiled abruptly reaching out for his wand, his mind drifted with unwelcoming memories; it was hard to shove them away after so many years of torment.

"I'm not Lucius…". Snape bitterly replied straitening up his posture. "And I felt that too, the calling. But it was not meant for neither of us. It was meant for another Death Eater. The Dark Lord was calling someone that was here at the station".

"I've…passed out?" The shocked blond teenager was blushing with shame.

"Yes, beginner's reaction to the stigma". Snape narrowed his black eyes examining him close. "Let's go back to the castle, we need to talk. You know how to apparate, right?"

Draco nodded and with a loud crack both male figures became corporeal at the castle's main gates.

Snape took sit behind the desk and Draco stretched his back while resting his slender body along a comfortable armchair by the side of the single window of the room.

"_If that was __a Christmas gift from the Dark Lord to me, how touching!" _The blond muttered under his breath.

"No, this is something else. Weeks ago you've told me you experienced a certain synchronized connection with one of the students here. You manage to establish a communication with that person at a different level, a higher level". Snape frowned with a deep-seated suspicion.

"Yes, it was not like when I did Legilimens to Potter and got access to his thoughts and his connection with the Dark Lord. Whenever this 'mind reading" happens between me and…her, I feel like we're sharing part of each other's in the process". He pulled back his hair with both hands feeling nervous. "The other day I've performed a mirroring charm on her: a _wandless_ mirroring charm". He smirked remembering the moment.

"The possibilities to achieve it are almost non-existent. This whole situation is extremely unusual, it's almost impossible, but sometimes when confronted with that someone who triggers our most hidden emotions, the power of the mind might find a crack. The outcome of this is the transference of bio-energy between the two: becoming receivers and receptors, switching places intermittently during the process…and after that. If this power is not properly channelled, it can be devastating for both". Snape talked with an unfamiliar worried tone. He stood up and walked towards Draco looking now rather irritated while scratching his chin.

"This means we're hurting each other by doing this?" Draco seemed like we was about to jump out of his skin. He opened wide his eyes, clenching his fingers on the armchair.

"Like I've said before, whenever the power is not properly channelled or denied, the consequences are…fatal. This power is too much for a pair of teenagers to handle, its intended for mature wizards and witches with solid and well grounded emotions". Snape closed his eyes while resting his back against the wall.

"But this is happening to us…now. Sooner or later, we'll be able to handle it". The blond swallowed painfully.

"Who's that 'she" person?" Snape asked with a tint of curiosity.

"Luna Lovegood". Draco held his breath feeling rather nervous.

"I knew her mother; she was an extraordinary witch, she had a natural talent for charms". Crossing his arms, he looked at Draco with those piercing black eyes of him.

"Luna is great with charms too". The blond shot back.

"But she's of a fragile nature; you've got to be careful with that. She's not mature enough to properly channel those feelings emotionally….even less physically. The more she refrains, the more damage would be inflicted upon her and consequently upon you". Snape waited for the words to reach him.

"That means…" Draco's mind was thinking fast.

"…what I've just said. She's too young, and so are you. This should never have happened". Snape's words echoed on the walls like a devastating ultimatum.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was lunch time, the students left at Hogwarts gathered at the Great Hall, all in their respective House tables. At the Ravenclaw's table a girl of long dirty blond hair kept looking at the enchanted ceiling waiting to receive that long yearned letter, but there were no signs of her owl therefore no news whatsoever. Luna's eyes wondered at the nothingness of her silence solitude. It's been three weeks since his father wrote her telling that he had to go away for a while if he wanted to keep a low profile and avoid getting caught by the Death Eaters. He was forced to suspend the edition of the magazine due to the impossibility to find another secure location to establish the editorial headquarters. Luna took out of her pocket a crumbled paper with a messy handwriting, the one who wrote it was evidently in a rush.

"_Dearest Luna,_

_The outbreak of the war is imminent, people are dying. I don__'t think many I will survive to see the end of it if. But don't you worry; I'm always a step ahead of the Death Eaters that are chasing after me. Promise me you'll stay at Hogwarts where you're safe and well protected by Dumbledore. Please don't answer this letter, I'll write back to you once I find a safe place._

_Love,_

_Dad__"_

She already knew it by hard the content of the letter, but she kept reading it over and over again sobbing silently. In front of her was an untouched piece of rice pudding, it was her favourite, but somehow she couldn't force to eat it, not even a single bite. Luna stared at her lunch with apathy and pushed away the plate. Right then a small package fell into it spattering pieces of pudding in all directions, most of it fall into her clothes and face.

"Tergeo". She quickly cleaned the mess and looked up.

A gorgeous ink black owl was flying over her, noticing the now cleaned landing surface, it touched down with magnificent grace. The bird reluctantly extended the beak for her to take the letter that was holding. The envelope had her name written with a glossy dark green ink in an ornate font; she opened it quickly and scanned its content.

"_M__eet me tonight at the bust of Paracelsus, on the seventh floor. I've got something else for you. D.M"._

Holding tight the letter with a shaking hand she looked up at the present in front of her trying to make up her mind whether to open it or not. She grabbed the package nervously and tore the wrapping: inside was a sterling mount picture frame with a photo of her and Draco dancing at the Yule Ball. Luna found another small letter attached inside the package in Draco's impeccable handwriting and with the same glossy dark green ink.

"_Put my patience to the test, I'll put your curiosity on trial"._

His words sent chills up and down her spine. He was right: curiosity is an objectionable quality of the female mind. Luna took a deep breath, closed her eyes leaning towards the table resting her chin on her hands and let go a silent sigh.

Draco rested against one of the marble columns of the arbour located on centre of the gothic topiary garden, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed looking expectantly at the door.

It was ten minutes to midnight and still no signs of Luna. He turn round when hearing the loud creak of the heavy doors opening, the echo resounded on the walls. A girl dressed in an annoyingly turquoise colour sweater and white jeans came into view.

"I'm here Luna!" The all black dressed slender male figure called out trying his best to erase the grin from his face. He was extremely pleased to see her but his face was just a mask, never revealing his thoughts.

The girl walked slowly towards him fascinated with the view. Her wide open eyes denoted surprise and amazement.

"Draco, this is the Room of Requirement! I thought I'll never get the chance to see it again. This is….it's incredible!". Her face was glowing with a dreamy look.

"I come across it the other day while thinking of a private place to meet you besides my dorm. A place where you wouldn't feel…intimidated". He arched his eyebrow at his witty remark. "Here's a little something for you, Merry Christmas".

He handled a small dark red squared velvet case to her. Luna opened it and found inside a pair of ruby gemstone cut earrings shaped as radishes.

"I've noticed you're always carrying those funny plastic earrings and since you're very fond of…..radishes, well, here's a more appealing pair". He smirked.

"They were handcrafted by Goblins, they must have cost you a fortune! Thanks Draco…but this is too much!" Her pink cheeks blushed was she muttered a word of thanks. She painfully swallowed her nervousness while smoothing the ribbed neck of her sweater.

"You deserve to have beautiful things". He soothed, quelling the urge to reach out and comfort her with a touch, but the burning desire to have her in his arms was overwhelming. "Luna, I don't want any more stolen moments. Let me uncover you to rediscover you and I will open up if you promise to give in".

"We can't be together". Luna ducked her head miserably and looked as if she might cry.

Her words certainly caught him unaware, breaking the magic spell of the moment. Draco moved closer and locked his arms around her neck, caressing softly her delicate skin. Taking a big breath he spoke with a mild scolding voice, his eyes narrowed.

"You're wrong, we can and we would!"

"Why a strong person would want to carry behind his back the burden of a broken and weak one?" She closed her eyes refusing to look at him.

"You're a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying herself a pleasure". He was growing anxious. "Luna, stop avoiding the full glare of my disappointment and look at me!" He shouted unable to slow down his racing heart.

"Why me?" She opened her eyes feeling intoxicated by his presence.

"Because you are unique, you are…gifted. There's nothing you feel that you don't feel right to the bottom of yourself, you're incredible". Draco's eyes were locked with hers.

"Draco, I'm dying. I won't make it to the final of the school term. Professor Trelawney confirmed my suspicions…" She paused, with an expectant look.

"That crazy old woman has a morbid taste when making fun of others. She enjoys predicting the death of at least twenty students a year, she's been teaching here for decades with zero casualties! She's been threatening me since third year with the same pathetic prediction "Ohhh…you are in mortal peril!" And as you can see, I'm alive and kicking!" He shot back stroking her dirty blond curls between his fingers with yearning tenderness.

She forced a smile on her face.

"Luna, run away with me. Let's get away from here. We can go anywhere in the world, name the place and I'll take you there. Let's get away as far as we can from this war and your fears. Just come with me". He gently placed his arms around her fragile waist pulling her closer.

"I can't…" She choked; burning tears were coming down her cheeks.

"I wasn't asking, I was actually thinking about more justifications to back up my proposal". He continued without acknowledging her comment. "Luna, there are no guarantees when it comes to the future, and that's okay as long as they are taking advantage of the present".

"Draco, I'm sick!" Images of those endless weeks at the infirmary wing after last year's incident at the Ministry of Magic flashed inside Luna's mind.

"I get it, you can't see much in the future and you feel that any second something terrible is going to happen to you. If I were you I would feel suicidal too, trust me!" He shot back looking slightly mad with his eyes wide open.

Luna knew it was useless to warn him away, he just wasn't listening or probably he didn't want to.

"I've always feared that I would perish emotionally sliding towards emotional starvation. The idea of shutting down all my feelings and settle for power seemed fair enough, but then you came around and I've became obsessed with you. If it's true that you love me then marry me, be my wife!" Draco's words were paused, coming out of his mouth with ceremonious courtesy.

She was touched by his words, fascinated by his aura of kindness.

"Draco, you're doing this out of pity?" She asked biting her lower lip.

"No, I'm doing this out of selfishness". His voice betrayed a rising concern.

"You're joking." She looked predictable depressed.

"_T__rouble is, I'm deadly serious"._ He found it hard to swallow his angst.

"It's just that I'm thinking of the right words to say! I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be...Look, from here on, we stick together. Get your mind around that". Draco kneeled on the floor of that beautiful carved marble arbour and he asked again.

"Luna Lovegood, would you marry me?" Draco held her hand in his looking at her in admiring silence.

"Yes, Draco Malfoy, I'll marry you". Her reply came out filled with angelic softness.

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	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER XIII

**CHAPTER XIII**

"_Come on  
the sun will rise  
another time  
the colours blind  
your virgin eyes  
I'm so inclined  
to make you mine  
you're out of line  
and out of time"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN - __'shallow Bay")_

A tall slender male figure dressed in a grey suit checked his reflection on the mirror looking pleased. Like the time he did for the Yule Ball, he fashioned his blond curls back with hair gel. He considered this made him look older and highlighted his enviable sculpted facial features. The young Slytherin opened and closed a small box for the tenth time checking out the pair of rings which had been carefully made following his specific instructions: the final result exceeded his expectations.

"Are you ready?" Draco called out knocking impatiently at the door.

'Damnit!" A sour voice complained from the other side opening the door violently. "I would be if I didn't have to stop and answer to you". Blaise was finishing adjusting his bow tie.

"Mate, life's too short to be pissed off all the time. It's just not worth it". The blond tapped gently the shoulder of his partner as he walked inside.

"This whole marriage thing is nuisance! Have you unleashed you moral fibre all of a sudden? You can have sex with her without going through all this nonsense, didn't that occur to you?" Blaise's eyes narrowed with cold fury.

'There are a lot of reasons why I'm doing this. Whenever I set my eyes in something I want, I'll do anything to have it. Her innocence triggers me to corrupt her entirely, in body and soul, in every possible way. Yes, I'm a damn selfish man and I want to make clear that Luna is completely mine and therefore untouchable and unreachable. Those who dare to get close to her or harm her beware for I'll make them pay with their lives". If looks could kill, Draco's cold grey eyes would have vanished Blaise's existence from the face of the earth right there.

"Draco, whether you want to admit it or not, you've transformed yourself into a damn fool!" He pointed out with an accusing tone shaking his index finger directly to the blonde's immutable face.

"You're fatally wrong. If that were the case I would have said the following: There are a lot of reasons why I'm doing this. She's innocence and wisdom, assertiveness and acceptance, compassion and self-affirmation. I'm a better person when I'm with her. She encourages me out of selfishness and that is exactly what pushes me to provide her everything I can to make her happy, even the impossible….but I didn't said that!". Draco crossed his arms sneering at his mate.

"Oh man you're going to make me cry!" Blaise sobbed throwing his strong arms around his partner. He locked the blond's face between his rough hands and stamped a kiss on Draco's closed shut lips.

"What the hell!?" The blond broke free of the fierce grip looking utterly confused, he almost fall backwards to the ground. "Blaise, I know under the circumstances some might tend to get rather sensitive but that exceeded every possible limit!" Draco shook his head looking straight to his partner.

"Fuck it! I wanted to do that for what seems like ages!" Frustration mixed with anger filled Blaise's lungs as he shouted out the truth.

"Look…Blaise…I've got nothing against the diversity of sexual preferences, actually I'm in favour because I hate hypocrisy. And talking about being hypocrite, I've got a confession to make too". Draco paused as Blaise's eyes opened wide grinning from ear to ear.

"You're my only… you're my best friend. Nothing will ever change that, not even your coming clean with…your feelings". He took a deep breath and continued. "I'm asking you to respect my choices as well. I want Luna, and her only, am I clear enough for you to understand my final decision?'draco smirked as he held out his hand.

"Crystal clear, my best friend and utopian lover is off the market". Blaise reached out with a crushing handshake, it was not the confession he was expecting to hear but he felt somewhat pleased to hear it.

"Come on, Luna's waiting for you give her away at the altar. You're our best man and secret keeper, remember?" Draco said pointing the exit.

"It's an honour, you got first". Insisted Blaise

"No way mate! I'm not giving you my back. You'll only get prudently close to it in case we're confronting adversity and I need you to cover my back, otherwise, snap out of it!" The blond joked with an accomplice smirk.

Draco and Blaise parted different ways, the blond headed to the room of requirement. Like something fashioned in a dream, the place resembled a roman temple with ancient rock walls covered with ivy and magnificent waterfalls on the sides. On centre there was an altar, a tall figure dressed all in black was standing there waiting with arms crossed and piercing look.

"Tell me again why should I do this?" The painfully irritant tone in Snape's voice was out of the question; his ink black eyes inspected the scenery with revulsion.

"Because, professor, you're the closest I've got as father figure". Draco replied with a studied obliging manner.

"Don't bribe me!" Snape muttered clenching his teeth.

"All right then, because nobody else in his right mind would marry us". Draco rolled his eyes swallowing hard.

"That's more like it…. Why did you have to pick such a pathetic place?" He frowned.

"Luna's idea". The blond cough, easing the lump on his throat.

The doors opened wide, Luna entered the room escorted by Blaise. A smile flashed over her face, her eyes as bright as blazing stars. She was dressed in immaculate white, like sunshine over a flower, Luna was the embodiment of the purest white rose complete in form and fragrance.

Snape took place in front of the couple and cleared his voice to start the marriage rite.

"There are those in our midst who seek the bond of marriage: Draco Malfoy and Luna Lovegood". He took up the ceremonial sword and raised it high.

Draco and Luna moved forward to stand facing Snape across the altar, a pair of piercing ink black eyes rested on the male figure and asked.

"Are you Draco Malfoy?"

"I am".

"What is your desire?"

"To be made one with Luna Lovegood in the eyes of the gods".

Snape then looked at Luna and asked her.

"Are you Luna Lovegood?"

"I am".

"What is your desire?"

"To be made one with Draco Malfoy in the eyes of the gods"

The old man approached Draco, aiming the point to the sword into his chest.

"I, Draco Malfoy, do come here of my own free will, to seek the partnership of Luna Lovegood. I come with all honour and sincerity, wishing only to become one with her whom I desire. Always will I strive for Luna's happiness and welfare. Her life will I defend before my own. May this sword be plunged into my heart should I not be sincere in all that I declare. All this I swear in the name of the gods. May they give me the strength to keep my bows…forever. So mote it be". Draco didn't remove his eyes from Luna while reciting his bows.

Snape lowered the sword and walked towards Luna, pointing again the end of the sword into her chest.

"I, Luna Lovegood, do come here of my own free will, to seek the partnership of Draco Malfoy. I come with all love and sincerity, wishing only to become one with him whom I love. Always will I strive for Draco's happiness and welfare. His life will I defend before my own. May this sword be plunged into my heart should I not be sincere in all that I declare. All this I swear in the name of the gods. May they give me the strength to keep my bows forever…" She paused, looking at Draco with watery eyes". "Forever may not be long enough for my love to him. So mote it be".

Snape lowered again the sword and leaned it over the altar. Blaise came from behind, and placed the two gold rings on top of a silver tray between the young couple. The rings were shaped as snakes swallowing their own tails called "Ouroboros": the cyclical nature of things, eternal cycle of renewal, good devouring evil devouring good.

Draco took the serpent ring that had pearl grey eyes and placed it on the fourth finger of Luna's right hand. She did the same and placed the serpent ring with amethyst blue gemstones eyes on his finger. Snape approached the couple lifting both hands, one pointing at Draco, the other at Luna.

"Know you that no two people can be exactly alike. No more can any two people fit together, perfect in every way. There will be times when it will seem hard to give and to love. It is no weakness to admit a wrong for it is a sign of learning. Ever love, help and respect each other. So mote it be".

Draco leaned towards his wife; he cupped her hands in his kissing her soft lips with majestic tenderness.

"_Luna Malfoy, you're mine and mine only"_. He whispered softly to her with visible joy.

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The newly weds were alone at the Slytherin's prefect dorm, sitting opposite each other on the four poster bed, very close as if they were to kiss. As one was breathing out, the other was breathing in, inhaling each other's breath.

Draco was dressed with a grey shirt and pair of trousers. He'd thrown minutes earlier his jacket, shoes and tie on the armchair by the side of the bed. Luna was still wearing her wedding gown, a silk white strapless dress.

"I wish we would have spent our honeymoon anywhere but here. Luna, everything I own, everything I possess is yours too". He broke the silence looking straight back at her.

"I've married you without my father's consent. In his last letter he asked me to stay here at Hogwarts where I would be safe. I don't want to contradict his wish. I owe him that at least. I hope you understand". Her voice felt cracked and dry.

"Well, that's fair enough. But when the school's year is over, I'll take you as far away from this war as possible. I'm your husband and will keep my bows to the end of my existence…and beyond: I'll protect you, always".

"Draco, you mean the world to me". A candid smile curled Luna's lips.

"Luna Malfoy…" He took a deep breath, realizing how meaningful was for him to call Luna his wife over and over again for she was a Malfoy now.

Draco moved closer and hugged her, rubbing Luna's neck with both hands denoting eager animosity. He started at the base of her head working down towards her naked shoulders, her body was shaking.

**  
**"I can't help myself feeling this nervous. I'm sorry for acting so…stupidly". She sobbed feeling helpless while looking at him with those gorgeous innocent amethyst blue eyes. "Draco I've never….I don't want to disappoint you". She shrugged, mentally slapping herself for sounding so lame.

"Don't say that…" He replied softly sensing her distress. He then applied proper pressure to her shoulders making her feel more relaxed and more comfortable with the massage."…there's always a first time for everything, tonight we'll cross this out from our lists…together". He confessed without feeling ashamed for sharing such private moment for the first time in his life with his wife.

"I love you…so very much". Luna's glowing smile illuminated the room, she never looked so happy.

"I want to show you how much you mean to me. I've been longing to see more of you. I want to get to know every inch of you…" A maddening force impelled him to follow the line of desire. "Just let yourself relax and sink into the warmth and comfort of our bed".

Luna was lost in a delirious wonder: she rested her back on the bed as Draco lied gently on top of her.

"So let's just do a little experiment". He paused, overwhelmed by her beauty. "I want to know which parts of your body are most easily aroused".

She nodded, unable to speak for she felt a funny lump on her throat.

"Tell me Luna, which feels better, this or …..this…." He asked kissing her neck gently, then harder.

She giggled, blushing even more.

"Uhmmmm…..you're ticklish!"

Draco's silk moist lips were nuzzling the excitable nape of her neck with aching desire while his strong, loving arms enfolded Luna's grief-shaken body with emotional warmth. He undid the buttons of her dress as she took care of the ones of his shirt, but unlike Draco, Luna's fingers were visible shaking. He threw their clothes to the floor as their naked bodies got under the sheets. The sweet aroma of Luna's naked body haunted Draco, as they started kissing in a more passionate way. His feverish hands massaged her face, behind her ears, her arms, her shoulders and her back with an almost uncontrolled ardent candour. He welcomed her reaction to his touch: he was managing perfectly to stimulate her body. Draco wrapped his arms around her waist but his aching desire was driving him insane at that point. His curious fingertips circled her navel; he ran them around the soft curves of her thighs. He went further down and tried with one finger then he added another stimulating her arousal. He rolled on top of her, rubbing his hungry manhood against her portal of pleasure: their bodies were dripping in juices.

"_Luna…I want you …I want so badly to be inside you"_. He whispered his intentions into her ear in what seemed more like a plea.

"I'm all yours". She moaned softly, encircling her arms around his neck kissing his ear lobe.

He entered her keeping pace with her deep breaths. As they lied there, locked in each other's arms, moving their sweaty bodies harmoniously together, they started melting. Moments later, with a loud thud, the bed landed to the floor.

"I've felt the earth….shaking". Luna smiled at him with a very hot flushed face.

He smirked back at her and closed his eyes feeling her passionate fingers running through his sweaty blond curls.

"Wandless magic…I believe we've levitated the bed while we were making love". Draco's burning pearl grey eyes admired hers with a guilty look. _"All I ever wanted, all I ever needed, is here…in my arms"._ He whispered, spooning her fragile body against him.

She felt on the back of her neck how his warm breathing was slowly coming back to a normal pace. Luna closed her eyes, surrendering her exhausted body to sleep.

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	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER XIV

**CHAPTER XIV**

"_Let's begin feeding the sickness  
How do I simplify  
Dislocate, the enemy's on the way_

_Show me what it__'s like  
to dream in black and white  
so I can leave this world tonight"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN __"Unknown Solider")_

Sometimes, when things are too good to be truth, time flies. And for the young couple, just when they were starting to enjoy their own private world, Hogwarts welcomed back the numerous hordes of students returning from their winter holidays.

It was a dull cloudy Monday morning; Ravenclaw's group of fifth years waited at the entrance hall to be scolded by the prefect into the forest for their Care of Magical Creatures class. The blond Slytherin hurried up the pace making sure everybody was there, he took his time to closely check on his beautiful wife, she looked radiant. Luna's amethyst blue eyes glittered once they caught sight of him. He smirked to her, ordering the group to follow him. Draco had an undeniable elegant style in the way we walked, the way he shook his head from time to time made his silk blond curls shine brighter with the sunrays. The sublime movement of his stylized body waving his robes was almost ethereal. He stopped at the sight of Hagrid's vast figure coming from the hill, crossing his arms he waited for the students to walk past by him.

"Today will be a long day without you by my side. I'm going to miss you". Luna stopped in front of him with a timid smile.

He grabbed her gently by the arm pulling her close to him. "I can do without you, in all but two ways: sleep without you by my side and wake without you by my side. I'm counting the minutes to meet you again tonight, at our dorm". He leaned closer and kissed her forehead with restrained passion, breathing her perfume.

She blushed and hurried to meet her classmates, he headed back towards his Herbology class. Draco slammed the greenhouse crystal doors behind him, professor Spout looked like she was about to say something regarding his tardiness.

"Prefect's duties…" He excused himself abruptly.

The class was gathered around the one large rectangle table: Slytherin to the left, Gryffindor to the right. He noticed that were many absents that morning and sneered when two of his longed permanent vacancies were not present: Harry Potter and Pansy Parkinson.

"He didn't say much, he left early today with Dumbledore…." Muttered a worried female voice in front of him, it was Hermione talking with Ron.

The blond Slytherin took sit besides Blaise who silently greeted his appearance slapping his back.

"You were right mate. Pansy is probably locked up at St Mungo's mental wing as we speak". He giggled with a cynical face.

"Peachy". Draco limited to reply as he took the knife from Blaise's hand and chopped the tuber in front of him with surgeon's accuracy. 'that's how a mandragora is cut, watch and learn". He instructed to his friend raising an eyebrow.

Moments after the end of the class, a thick, heavy mist materialized, seemingly out of nowhere. A freezing chill haunted Draco's body; he shrugged emptying the air on his lungs all of a sudden in the form of a steamy cloud. He looked round, the rest of the students looked at each other with puzzled faces.

"DEMENTORS…we've got to find Ginny!" Hermione and Ron shouted altogether, rushing towards the exit.

"Luna…" Draco chocked with the icing cold breeze. His mind was thinking fast, he took out his wand and rushed to the forest followed closely by Blaise.

He saw several fifth year students coming from the forest with paper white scared faces, no sign of Luna whatsoever. The yellings, the cryings, every sound got the volume turned down for all he could hear were Luna's heartbeats. Draco ran as fast as he could towards the place where she was supposed to be, guided by the sound that, to his desperation, was toning down. And then he saw with astonished eyes at Luna surrounded by Dementors, there were hundreds of them.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A blinding silvery light, wakened by Draco's desperate hell, came out from his wand.

The Patronus charm took the shape of an immensurable dragon: its devastating power erased at a stroke the endless files of Dementors. He rushed towards Luna and kneeled by her side.

"Luna, please wake up, please, please!" His blood shut eyes were filled with terror, holding her tight.

"Draco…." Her voice came out like a whisper. "…have you just said "please"?" She smirked, Malfoy's style.

"Yes, look what you've made me do!". He soothed her, kissing softly her cheeks.

"It's been always you, you're my guardian. You're my…dragon". Tears were starting to form out of the corner of her eyes.

"I was thinking of you, princess, I could made such Patronus because your love filled me whole". He wrapped his hands around her kissing her mouth with burning desire.

When the mist finally cleared from around him, the bodies of dozens of students lied as if they were sleeping, he realized then he also saved many. The attack of the Dementors would have been massive if it wasn't for Draco's crushing Patronus. Blaise approached him looking almost out of breath.

"I've never knew was possible to produce such Patronus mate, you've literally swept off hundreds of Dementors!" His shocked eyes looked like they were about to fall out from their sockets.

"Hello Draco…". A familiar venomous voice came out from behind. He turned round and caught sight of a Death Eater's hooded silhouette, taking off the mask, the figure unveiled its identity: it was Pansy.

"You little cunt! You were behind this?!" He snapped out rushing towards Pansy, holding his wand up high.

"Mate, what are you doing?" Blaise looked worried, he feared whenever Draco snapped out of his senses.

"Pending assignment! You, stay there and watch Luna!" Draco disarmed Pansy and she stumbled to the floor.

"What are you talking about?!" He asked with a shaken voice.

"The bitch's sacrifice!". Draco needed to act, it was now or never. "Suffer you filthy cow. CRUCIO!"

"Draco, watch out!" Blaise warned.

Like Pansy, another Death Eater was squelching on the floor, this one after the successful contra attack of the black haired young man but two more were coming from Blaise's back, the blond Slytherin aimed his wand towards the two targets placing himself in danger. Draco felt how his wand flew off his hand, a fourth Death Deater had disarmed him: it was Bellatrix Lestrange.

"How dare you ruin our party? You've betrayed the family! You're nothing but Malfoy's disgrace, you're Malfoy's mistake". She sentenced destroying his wand. "CRUCIO!" Bellatrix's evil laughter deformed her face.

"Wait!" Pansy interrupted. "Bella, that wasn't the deal. We would use Lovegood as bate to get Draco and take him with us".

"Stupid girl!" She pushed Pansy from her sight lowering the wand, releasing Draco from the curse.

He gained his breath, painfully lifting his body from the floor. Determined, he looked up and turned his head looking at Bellatrix. With Lucius' wand tightly held on his hand, Draco disarmed his attacker, she watched wide-eyed.

"You have a kind of sick desperation in your laugh, I simple hate it". The blond Slytherin threw an enraged stabbing stare at her as he cast the killing curse.

"_I am Draco's smirking revenge". _He rolled his eyes, looking at the gloomy surrounding and the lifeless body of his aunt besides him.

Pansy disappeared behind some strange black horse figures that were encircling the forest clearing. Draco looked confused, holding high the wand.

"Don't worry, they won't hurt us". Luna soothed as she walked slowly towards him.

"What the hell are those?!" Draco encircled her waist with one arm rubbing her cheek against his.

'they have been here always, they're called thestrals". She replied with a faint smile.

"So now I'll get to see the Nargles as well, right? Merlin! I'm officially loony now!" He cheered her up stroking her soft blond curls against his chin. But then he felt the weight of Luna's unconscious body slowly pulling him down.

"NO!" He wrapped his arms around her, stopping the fall.

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Draco came out from Dumbledore's office with a fierce menace look, all students turned round to caught sight of him.

"How's Luna?" The tone in his voice faltered, his eyes looked reddish, filled with maddening desperation.

"She's still sound asleep; they're waiting for her to wake up". Blaise crossed his arms resting his back against the wall.

A depressing silence haunted the Hall, the scenario couldn't be worse, Draco thought, but he was wrong: a couple of fifth year Gryffindors started clapping, the rest followed as the animosity grew louder.

"Everybody lives, not everybody deserves to. Look around you, remember that you are mortals!" Draco shouted to the crowd, his thoughts galloped inside his mind. He was surrounded now by almost the entire student body.

"You don't know who I am because you call me many names: I'm Draco Malfoy, the _shameless_ Slytherin, son of a Death Eater. I'm the one you love to hate. I'm a killer who just got away with murder because I happened to save your pathetic lives….by mistake!" The blond was angry, he didn't want to be considered hero.

"You're not a killer. That's why you're so good at it". A voice came from behind him; it was no other than Harry Potter. 'malfoy, I'm in debt with you for saving my friends".

Draco's piercing grey eyes narrowed: The Boy Who Lived was in debt with him? What an ingenious substitute for the chain and whip of the slave-driver. What a perfect device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility.

"I'm in debt with you, we all are". From behind Harry came out Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Neville and many others students from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw as well.

"Killing is a dirty job for you, Potter? Well, someone has to do it! Remember, I'm still your enemy". He paused, giving the rest of the students an evil look.

"Potter says he's in debt with me! Well, if he happens to survive the Dark Lord, I challenge him to a duel so I get the chance once and for all to wipe his pathetic existence from the face of the earth. He can't refuse for he owes me, you're all witnesses! And if you people continue to believe that your safety relies on the hands of others, you're doomed! Draco was consumed by his own hatred but he also lighted the awareness of those incredulous faces.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the restless silhouette of Madame Pomfey rushing towards the infirmary escorted by two people: they looked to be medi-wizards from St Mungo's. The blond violently pushed Harry away making his way following Pomfey's direction. He closed shut the doors behind him and saw the three figures examining his wife's fragile body.

"What's going on, what are you doing to her?" He demanded to know with a lamentable helpless tone of his voice.

"Her body just can't fight back any longer. She's got a month, probably two at most before she finally…leaves us". Madame Pomfey sobbed.

"What are you talking about?!" Draco had reached his boiling point, and finally snapped.

"We found her body stuffed with psilocybe mushrooms, she used them to ease the pain after what happened to her last year, during her confrontation with the Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries. Despite this being a powerful medicine, it is no longer effective, her body is giving up". The old woman's voice was filled with solemn emptiness.

"This can't be happening". Draco's lungs shut down with premature ripening. He looked at his wife; her eyes were blinking back at him, struggling to keep them open.

"Luna, sweetheart, how could I been so blind?" He kissed her forehead with compassionate love.

"That day, when we were looking for Harry's prophesy, we got caught by the Death Eaters, they…tortured us….that's when I heard the voice of my mother, she said to me: Not everything is what it seems. Question authority, challenge reputation …" Luna's voice trailed off.

Her words stung like a frozen lash forcing Draco to hit bottom. He remembered his nightmare, now it all came into focus. The voice inside his head was Luna's mother and the maddening piercing pain he experienced was the same inflicted to Luna by the Death Eaters back at the Ministry of Magic.

"…doubt expertise. Let excitement overcome apprehension, give way to confidence to conquer fear, certainty might enlighten doubt, pride will overrule anger…it's all inside you. It's time to fight back. Luna, fight back and come back to me. I'm here waiting for you, always. I love you!" Draco was then forced to confront a truth he had been denying for so long. Why did he take so long to realize that he loved her just when he was so close to lose it all? Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.

"Princess, I've been a selfish fool. I love you to the point that it scares me the hell out to realize how much you mean to me. Nobody knows, nobody understands what I'm capable to do for you". His eyes were hurting him in a way he never felt before, silent tears rolled down from his cheeks, he was crying, he never cried.

"Thank you for showing me where I truly belonged, with you, as long as I could be by your side. I'm happy to know that place was once mine". Luna's voice was more like a whisper, she closed her tired eyes letting go a silent sigh.

"Sweetheart, you won't get rid of me that easy". He soothed her. "I promise that I'll do the impossible to save you".

The days ran through Draco's fingers like water in the desperate search for a cure to save the life of his young wife. Luna was at St Mungo's Hospital, the numerous potions and charms which were administrated to her were frankly useless. The countless numbers of medi-wizards did everything they could to cure the disease but it ran its violent course through her body, she was unable to even lift herself from the bed for more than a scant few seconds. Waking up Luna was quite easy, but keeping her awake was difficult. In her face the unmistakable profile of death was already starting to be drawn with horror.

"I'm the sinner and corrupted one. I should undergo all this sufferings and not you. Luna, my life is worth living only if I have you by my side…you're all I've got left".Loneliness struck him like a blow.

"Draco, there's this place in me where your finger prints still rest... your kisses still linger and your whispers softly echo. It's the place where a part of you will forever be a part of me…". She managed to say before she blacked out again.

"_I'm Draco's broken heart"._ He sobbed caressing Luna's soft cheeks. He placed one hand on his heart and another over her chest performing a mirroring charm. The pain Luna was suffering was maddening. Revulsion, fear, pity and hatred welled up inside him. His mind grew increasingly cunning and ruthless. He heard someone coming as he wiped out the tears.

"You're a man in love, you've got the right to do so. Some think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go…when there are things beyond our reach. It's not up to you anymore; you've done everything you could". Blaise came from behind tapping gently his back.

"No more blind faith! Praying is useless! How can I possible believe and confide all my hopes into what's letting the life of my wife being trimmed at such young age?" In shock and fury, Draco let out a roar that tore through the walls like thunder. "I refuse to live without her! I would go through hell and back again it I have to. Fuck damnation, fuck redemption!" Blind unreasoning consumed Draco.

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	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER XV

**CHAPTER XV**

"_Here I stand, helpless and left for dead.  
Close your eyes, so many days go by.  
Easy to find what's wrong, harder to find what's right.  
I believe in you, I can show you that I can see right through all your empty lies.  
I won't stay long, in this world so wrong"._

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN "Dance with the Devil")_

He opened the ancient book and turned back to the last page he read minutes ago taking mental notes as he cracked his knuckles against the desk. The blond Slytherin was trying to focus his attention on what he was reading, feeling rather annoyed for his lack of concentration, symptom of his depression. He shut the book once more gasping out a few mumbled words.

"I wonder why you chose this place to meet." Snape rolled his eyes admiring the splendid library, Lucius former office.

"Thank you for coming professor and welcome to Malfoy's manor". Draco summoned a chair, inviting his guest to take a sit.

"May I ask what have you done lately, when you're not besides your wife's deathbed?" The arch of his eyelids lifted up with wonder.

"Nobody else but me is able to save Luna. Her time is running out, I have to act…now". He explained twisting the wedding ring on his finger behind the desk.

"This place will be filled with Death Eaters at any moment". The old man pointed out with an acutely tone in his voice.

"Exactly, now you know why we're here". Draco sneered.

"I was hoping to be wrong this time". The agile minded replied.

"You never are. I've got everything ready to conjure the Inferiare Pandemonium Pact, but I can't do it alone. I'll need your help". The blond smirked, handling him a glass of firewhisky.

"The elements for the ritual are impossible to acquire!" He frowned, refusing to take the cup from Draco's hand.

"Nothing's impossible when money can buy it. I've got all that's required and I know exactly what to do, but I still need your assistance". Draco drank in one sip the content of the glass; he got up and walked towards Snape.

"Do you realize what you're about to do? This is suicidal. Once you submerge yourself into the trance and you get infected, your body will host a parasite that lacks in substance without it, there is no turning back. It can be localized or affect your body completely. It can destroy you, deactivating your immune mechanisms one by one switching them with its own devastating power". His ink black eyes opened wide.

"Force is might, force is must! I'm fully aware of the risks. Would you help me, yes or no?" Draco was blinded by the evil of his hatred.

"Why do you think I came here in the first place? Of course I'll help you. I only wanted to make sure you know what it would take to perform the ritual successfully". The old man replied with cynical irony.

The blond curled his lips with a triumphal grimace. He pointed out the way to a secret passage inviting his accomplice to follow him.

The confined room was placed on starkness and austerity, lightening up with black candles. The ritual book was placed on a small stand at the right of the altar. Snape looked at Draco out of the corner of his eyes. The blond Slytherin was, as always, formally dressed, this time he was wearing a dark blue shirt, white t-shirt, black pants and black shoes.

"You'll ruin those clothes…" He broke the silence reproachfully lifting an eyebrow as he placed the chalice and offerings on the altar.

Draco didn't reply, considering Snape's comment trivial and awkward. He handled him a hooded black robe as he put one over his clothes and proceeded to take his place on centre of the pentagram drawn on the floor, facing the altar. His body strategically placed at right angles to its length.

Snape placed himself at Draco's left besides the ritual's book, both made a profound bow before the altar and the ritual started.

"Great One, hear us now as we invoke thy blessing. Come forth from out the gorge of night! Take flight on leathern wings and soar above the mountain's summit. Cast thy shadows of the earth in answer to our call!" The elder recited extending both arms with his palms downward.

Then, taking the chalice from the altar, he turned to each of the cardinal compass points of the pentagram holding it high, muttering the opening statements, facing South, facing East, facing North and facing West. Finally, he placed himself in front of Draco handling him the cup.

"I raise my hands, my heart and my voice to call upon thy forces of the underworld. Great Ghoul, covered in the husk floating in the life-fluid, the gateway to the core burst forth, one nature, from the fervent heat you are and when the subterranean flame give me strength and give me the power I desire. From the burning fire of my willing flesh you shall be still as you were before". The blond proclaimed, taking the chalice between his hands, drinking from it: the potion burned his insides like liquid fire.

"My body is a temple, wherein all demons dwell. A pantheon of flesh I am: Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. So mote it!" Draco recited his concluding statement bowing towards the altar.

"So it is done". Snape retrieved the chalice, bowing towards the altar, putting down the candles.

Draco's body convulsed and shivered, he couldn't breath, his vision faltered as a huge shadow passed over him, a large claw fell on his shoulder and all went dark.

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The maddening monotony screams woke him up. Someone was punching him in the face and stomach moments before he regained conscience. Draco realized he had been captured by the Death Eaters. A scream rose up in his throat, only to be chocked down by his own blood. His body shuddered as he was lifted off the floor and pinned against a frozen surface. He couldn't remember how he ended up chained to the wall. No hope, no help and no mercy would perpetrate the hell that consumed him. His gaze snapped back into focus, he saw his battered body covered with torn clothes and exposed flesh.

"The traitor woke up at last!" Rodolphus Lestrange yelled to the other Death Eaters that were joining him in the beating.

"Hi uncle, how's the life of a widower been treating you?" Draco mocked him with celebrated vengeancespitting blood through clenched teeth; he was bleeding from the mouth and face.

"You will join your partner's faith soon, enjoy while you can". Rodolphus acidly replied pointing at the fetid half rotten corpse chained to the wall besides Draco before he left.

The blond did his best to stifle his spasms of pain: his body was a quivering coiled knot. Dust danced in the air, he chocked again. He looked around, he was locked up inside a nest of bacillus and microbes, the catacomb's walls were streaked with blood, the odour was repulsive adding more morbidness to the sick spectacle. From behind the thick bars of the only window Draco saw an ill-tended cementery complete with fallen and leaning headstones and defaced holy symbols. There was a shallow bone pit in which the Death Eaters probably tossed the remaining of their many victims.

"_Come on…bring it on….I want this….I need this!" _He knew that without pain, without sacrifice, he would have nothing.

But the sickness was tormenting him, his internal organs were frighteningly torturing him, he resolved not to pay attention to them, switching off his body from the pain. There was only bottomless agony, bottomless terror and bottomless despair. As these negative feelings overwhelmed him, he blacked out again.

Draco's mind drifted between sanity and madness, he woke up, coming back to the pain, this time he didn't shut down his body, he actually welcomed it as his ill temper grew more and more pissed off.

He heard some people talking, some faint murmurs echoing on the putrid walls. He found it hard to keep his eyes opened for the fresh blood clots on his face numbed his vision but still could see through his eyelids. There was a large cell in front of him.

"Remus Lupin, I wonder why you're caged if you're not suffering from moon madness?" Draco was determined to play off against every single person he came up across.

But there came no reply, death silence filled the place. The blond took a closer look at the people locked up in the cell. He then also recognized Mr. Ollivander, Mad Eye Moody, Nymphadora Tonks and there was another man, on the left of Lupin, completely unknown to him: an eccentric-looking wizard, who looked slightly cross-eyed and had shoulder length white hair, something in his eyes caught Draco's attention.

"Who are you?" The Slytherin asked with eager curiosity.

"My name is Xenophilius…" His voice was barely more than a hiss.

"You're Mr. Lovegood?" Draco felt as if a flash of enlightenment had stricken him.

"Yes, and you are…?"

"_I'll kill two birds with one stone. You've just make my day". _His body was quivering again, this time more violently, he was gasping for breath.

"He's Draco Malfoy" Lupin shot back with a raspy voice.

"I'm the guest of honour". Draco did a fair imitation of a sigh and gazed around, fixing his stare at the pestilent fellow next to him. The nauseating odour filled his nostrils, forcing him to throw up. He wished he had eaten something earlier, for he was vomiting blood and bile, his stomach was burning.

"Malfoy, what happened to you?" Lupin's voice echoed the walls with a tint of worry now.

"This purging thing sucks!" He managed to reply in what seemed to be his final breath "_I'll probably shit blood as well"_. Something was wrong, his body was collapsing, he wasn't feeling any stronger, every single internal organ and muscle hurt him like hell. He started cursing under his breath.

"He's changing…he's…evolving". Mad Eye frowned while his magical eye inspected him with avid curiosity.

"And to your displeasure, professor, this time is remotely connected with ferrets!" Draco smirked, spitting blood.

The sound of footsteps was getting more and more audible: someone was coming down the stairs into the catacombs. A black hooded figure came to view, to Draco's disgust it was no other than Pansy Parkinson.

"_M__erlin! One disaster at a time!" _He muttered, inches away from losing his sanity once and for all.

"What have they done to you?" Pansy's eyes were filled with tears.

She performed a quick cleansing spell on him as she leaned closer, offering the glass of water she carried on the tray along with some food. He refused, sealing his lips. He was craving for something else, some other kind of "food".

"Get away from me and give it to them instead!" He recoiled looking at the others on the cell. Pansy's presence was even more repulsive to him than the dead corpse; he would start vomiting all over again.

She sobbed, throwing the tray to the floor, placing her arms around his neck.

"You know this could end right here if you promise to behave". She combed his untamed blond curls with her sneaky fingers.

"I want the wand back, Pansy. Retrieve the wand they took from me". He raised the voice with an imminent terrible tone.

"I'll do it if you kiss me". Her voice trembled.

"Pansy…you make me come….you make me complete….you make completely miserable!" He shouted, feeling his stomach revolting again.

"Hate me then, but remember I'm your only salvation. Kiss me and you can get your wand back". Pansy whispered into his ear.

"Never, you're the unmistakable reminder of her doom!" The blond shot back looking at her with revulsion.

"You love her that much?" She hissed, recovering her composure.

"Deep enough to let burn me to the core". He paused, swallowing painfully. "Thou retrieve thy wand". Draco demanded with an inhuman voice.

Pansy nodded and left with a blank stare and immutable face, acting as if she were under the influence of the imperious curse.

The pain in his body diminished and then vanished. He felt his muscles getting strong as iron, his wounds were healing, he felt his senses sharpened as his breathing got slow and deepen.

Draco experienced a mad hunger that grew more ravenous half chocked by a rising and untamed rage. The dim light bothered his eyes, he closed them shut. But then an icing cold breath washed over him as chill fingers wrapped around his neck. The Slytherin woke up after noticing a pair of unnaturally pale hands encircling his face.

"I've got plans for you, my boy. You will pick up from where your father left off…" Voldemort's pair of red blood core black eyes looked straight back at him

"_We are defined by the choices we made: it's called sense of self-preservation". _Shattered images flashed before Draco's eyes.

"Nagini, kill the spare!" His pale lips twisted into a frown.

"NO!" Draco shouted in a deafening roar which echoed off the walls.

The rite was finally completed: and with the transfiguration of his internal body structure, extraordinary powers were acquired, his natural strength was quadrupled. Draco acquired the strength and powers of a Ghoul; he became a soldier as bold as death. He broke loose from the chains that kept him imprisoned and rushed towards Voldemort, ready to strike.

"_You'll be able to break free of the curse only by offering the Ghoul immortal flesh. In return you'll be released from its curse and possession, keeping its powers as reward". _Snape's words resounded in his head.

The beast inside him aimed for the jugular: the most vital and vulnerable part of a prey. He clutched from Voldemort's neck with ravenous hunger, ripping the flesh with his massive bites. Voldemort's body racked with tremors and pain, choking under a pool of his own blood.

"_I'm Draco's bloodthirsty malice". _His blood dripping lips curled in a horrifying smile.

He desperately summoned Lucius" wand once he caught sight of Pansy's silhouette coming from behind and, turning round, he aimed at the desired target: Nagini.

"Avada Kedavra!" The vivid green light ended with the life of the vast snake that was merely a few inches from Mr. Lovegood's overwhelmed face.

"Draco!" Pansy's heart-rending scream made him turn back at her as she stepped between him and Voldemort's killing curse.

"Bombarda Maxima!" The dry explosion of dust and rocks crushed Voldemort's quivering bloodstained body.

"That's the only practical thing I learned from Umbridge". He smirked at Lupin, as he spoke drops of blood fell to the ground.

Draco blew up the door of the cell, setting free the prisoners.

"Run for your lives. RUN!" He yelled carrying under his shoulder the weight of his father-in-law weakened body.

"We can't leave her here!" Lupin shouted with a desperate tone.

Regaining his balance, Draco looked around and saw Pansy's lifeless body lying on the ground.

"_I'm Draco's complete lack of surprise"._

"We can't take her with us for she will hold us back, she's dead". He replied coldly, rushing up the stairs taking three steps at a time carrying Mr. Lovegood. To his amazement, thanks to his recently acquired powerful strength, the body he was holding in his arms felt feather weight.

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**CHAPTER XVI**

"_Do you know that I could never leave you?  
and you know I could never beat you?  
and if I, if I could never find you nevermind, I would not forget you.  
Can I stay alive forever?  
Forever. Can I feel a chemical reaction?  
Because I feel a hideous  
attraction could we share a poison apple?  
Could it be maniacal and awful?  
Can I stay alive forever?"_

_(BREAKING BENJAMIN – "Forever")_

The news regarding Draco's bold performance echoed into every corner of the Wizardry World moments after the six figures apparated at the doors of St. Mungo's hospital.

Draco looked around the room and saw lots of people happy for the news but shocked to see him soaked in blood for it gave him an appearance of grimness and ferocity. His clothes were covered with blood both dried and fresh.

"I've just said I'm not hurt, most of the blood is not mine!" He protested to the medi-wizards while dropping Mr. Lovegood on top of a stretcher.

"Young man, you've saved my life, please tell me how can I repay you for all what you've done…" Xenophilius clenched from Draco's arm looking completely grateful.

"_Okay, this is it. It's time for me to say the words."_ Draco took a big breath. 'sir, I've married your daughter a month ago…without your consent…having your blessing will be my reward". He held his breath feeling a growing lump in his throat.

"You married my Luna? Where is she, I want to see her…" The old man looked disorientated.

"She's here, at the hospital. She had a breakdown after the dementors attack back at Hogwarts. I'll ask the doctors to take you with her". He painfully swallowed.

"Oh no…she's sick again? My poor baby…I want to see her…please take me with her!" He begged to a nurse.

"Malfoy…" A sniffling voice called out from behind him.

"What now, Granger?" Draco rolled his eyes, resting his back against the corridor's wall.

"What you've done was remarkably heroic!" She smiled candidly to him.

"Saving them and killing one Horcrux were not included in my plan, they just happened to be in the path towards my goal, that's all". He tossed out looking bored.

"The harder you try to look evil, the less you succeed". She said in a quiet hush voice.

"Don't distort the truth to make reality more bearable". Draco's face turned whiter, without the slightest trace of emotion.

She shook her head and looked inside her purse. "Here, take them".

Hermione offered him some clean clothes: a pair of blue jeans, sneakers and a white and black striped t-shirt.

"Muggle clothes?!" He frowned.

"They're better than those torn and soaked blooded rags you're wearing". She had a point, he was starting to smell.

Draco accepted, throwing a reluctant look at her before entering into a bathroom. After a couple of minutes, and to Hermione's surprise, the person who came out didn't exactly look like an average muggle. Even dressed in that kind of clothes, it was impossible for Draco to pass for a muggle or a regular young man for that matter, for every little thing about him was far from being ordinary. He looked like he just came out from taking a shower: his dripping blond curls fall down gracefully into his face framing his sculpted facial features. And the way that simple cotton t-shirt fitted his leaned shoulders and back was simply exquisite. But there was something wrong with this picture: something in the stiffed way he was walking denoted a slight problem with his recently acquired clothes.

"This rough fabric itches, how can you muggles stand it?" He complained.

"That's because you're not used to wear jeans. But let me tell you that they fit you perfectly and you filled them better than Harry". Hermione's blushed while looking at his crutch out of the corner of her eye.

"I'm wearing Potter's clothes?!" He protested without repairing in the fact that he was better equipped than his enemy.

Xenophilius Lovegood came out from the hall: he stopped in front of Draco and embrace him with paternal affection.

"My daughter loves you with all her heart and I won't deny her that happiness. You've got my blessing. Welcome to the family, son!" The old man sobbed.

"Thank you…Mr. Lovegood". Draco let go a sigh of relief. _"And you'll properly thank me once I save her life as well". _He murmured under his breath.

From above Xenophilius shoulder, Draco caught sight of Snape as he passed by the corridor. Slipping through his father-in-law embrace he ran behind the elusive black dressed figure.

"Professor…the ceremonial dagger…do you have it with you?" The blond hissed with expectant look.

"She's too weak, she won't endure the ritual's transition". He stopped, crossing his arms.

"If there's one thing I learn from my wife is to follow my instincts. You won't believe how unique Luna is, don't misjudge her strength".

He pulled out a pointed object wrapped in dark cloth from behind his cloak and handled it to Draco.

"No matter what happens, nobody should enter that room". The blond ordered throwing an enraged stabbing stare.

Snape nodded without saying a word.

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With the little strength she got left, she managed to sit on the bed, placing the pillow behind her sore back. Luna was dressed with an oversized dark green satin pyjama with gold embroidered letters on the pocket, by the side of her heart, reading "D.M": it was one of Draco's pyjamas.

The doors opened wide letting way for Draco to step in, closing right behind him with a loud slamming sound.

"You came back…" She sobbed; her eyes were already wrapped in tears.

"Of course, sweetheart, I won't leave you again, ever". He soothed.

He took sit on the bed and leaned closer, stroking her dirty blond curls between his fingers with yearning tenderness. "_And I won't let you leave me either…_" He whispered into her ear.

"You've saved my father's life, I'm so very grateful to you". Her voice was barely audible.

"I've told you that I would do anything to have his consent, we have his blessing now". Draco cupped her chin with one hand kissing her gently. 'this looks familiar". He hissed, following with his eager fingertips the pattern of the monogrammed letters.

"They have your scent…green apples…wearing them made me feel closer to you". She was finding trouble breathing.

"Luna, whenever I look my reflection in your eyes you make me forget who I really am. But the truth is that I'm far from being perfect: I'm a monster, and I can't change that. I've done many terrible things in the past, but there's no comparison with what I'm about to do to you right now. Please, forgive me for being so damn selfish and for not giving up. But I simply refuse to let you go, you belong to me". Draco showed her the ceremonial dagger, placing it over her lap. He felt an iron grip oppressing his heart.

"It's understood". She coughed, making a fair imitation of a smirk while examining the dagger's blade. "But how can you possible ask me to forgive you…for loving me the way you do?!" The pale colour of her cheeks flushed with a tint of pink.

"We're both mental!" He celebrated with mild insanity fixing his pearl grey eyes on her.

"No, we're Malfoys". Luna curled her lips with a silent smile without taking her eyes off him.

"Eris quod sum(i)". Draco took off his clothes in record time, either because he couldn't stand to wear those muggle clothes any longer or because his basis instincts were exploding inside him and he needed to unleash them once and for all.

"Esto perpetua(ii)". Luna's breathing was faltering.

Draco was standing in front of her wife, completely naked, holding the dagger. A maddening power and state of hot frenzy came over him pushing him to act in a way he would have recoiled when sober…or probably not.

"_Endless torture and pain shall be inflicted upon the mortal flesh of the beloved to achieve full access into the body in order to transfer the powers". _Draco's mind was sinking more and more into the trance.

He used the dagger to rip off her clothes, leaving naked body fully exposed, laying there on the bed.

"I, Draco Malfoy, I'm committed in body and soul to burst the mortal prison of my beloved and devour her mortal frame. I bind you, Luna Lovegood-Malfoy, to me for eternity, by the tail of the snake, the mouth of the dragon and the poison of my blood". He called out loud making the opening statement of the rite.

"I pierce and possess your flesh. I pierce and possess your brain". He made several incisions on strategic parts of both his and her body and then threw the dagger to the floor, jumping on the bed, right on top of her.

"I call upon the power of earth to shape you with my flesh. I call upon the power of fire to burn you with my passion. I call the power of water to bathe you with my blood. I call the power of air to tame you with my voice. I, Draco Malfoy, call you, Luna Lovegood-Malfoy, for a new beginning. You belong to me, so mote it be!" He started touching her naked body with hypnotic fascination.

To her horror, she felt something ripping into her mind, taking control of her body while he was pressing his weight against her. He sank his head in her chest, sucking her breasts with an intoxicating humming.

"Let me take you on a trip, around the world and back. Let me show you the world in my eyes" Draco's piercing grey eyes glowed like burning coals as he started rubbing his sweaty body against her.

"Luna, fulfil my desire, from the highest peak of ecstasy into the hollow depths of pain, you are mine". He liked her tears and then thrust his tongue into her mouth with diabolical passion.

She panted. Her breath was emerging in loud gasps.

"Let your mind do the walking while my mouth do the soothing". He hissed, placing his tongue between her soft thighs, swallowing her juices.

His hands were now touching her body with compelling force, provoking small bruises on her soft skin. Luna moaned in pain, sobbing.

"Now let my body do the moving… let my body do the talking". He thrust his hot, wet, dripping and hungry manhood into her with passionate insistence.

"_T__ell me, sweetheart, is it deep enough for you?" _He whispered into her ear.

She nodded with agony.

"Well, it's certainly not deep enough for me!" With strength borne from desperation Draco entered her, ripping out her insides.

Luna was so weak that she couldn't even scream her pain as she suddenly chocked. He started rocking his body on top of her with compulsory repetition.

Like when happens at birth, the newborn suffers pain and terror, requiring deep courage and brute endurance to have access to the instinctual power…feeling its shape…hearing its voice…knowing its essence and then act: welcoming the manifest of live.

"Redivivus!(iii)" Draco roared.

He looked at her with wide opened eyes, waiting for her to wake up. But Luna lay motionless; her fragile body was all bruised and covered in blood.

Unfortunately, the path which leads to the abyss is paved of good intentions. How many times when one is trying to do goods, one accomplishes evil? Draco's intentions were good, but what if his actions were mistaken? He firmly believed that he was doing the right thing.

"Where did I go wrong? What have I done?" He was entering into panic: it looked like a macabre murderer scene. He couldn't stand anymore the colour of blood. He performed a cleansing spell as exhaustion began to creep over him and he passed out.

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A pair of curious pearl grey eyes gleamed out of the sockets with unmistakable humanity looking at the naked body lying on the bed, facing down, sound asleep. The stalking lover, who was also naked, rushed the fingertips through the soft skin of the sleepy figure, making slow circles around the shoulders and back of the neck, blowing softly the blond curls behind the ears. The fingers moved faster, coming down up to the waist followed by those smooth wet lips kissing the naked skin. What a feast to those eager eyes, studying every inch of the curve and concave parts of that gorgeous being.

"Wake up, sleepyhead". Whispered softly, wrapping in nakedness that sleeping body.

A pair of slightly sore amethyst blue eyes, blinked timidly looking puzzled at the naked silhouette who was sharing the bed with.

"Luna?" Draco was slowly coming back to his senses, his eyes hurt a bit.

"I'm right here. I've been watching you sleeping, you looked so…innocent". She hissed.

"How are you feeling?" He was seeing blurred, he rubbed his eyes.

"Like a newborn child". She curled her lips with a candid smile.

"Luna, do you remember what happened last nigh?" His amethyst blue eyes burned with guilt.

"I recall you were dressed in….muggle clothes?! No, I've must been hallucinating…" She frowned. "I've got a dark pitch inside my head…" She paused, trying hard to remember.

"_M__ental note: there's no need for a memory charm, at least not for now". _He let go a sigh, feeling somewhat relieved.

"Draco, are you all right?" She ducked her head looking worried.

"Tell me…what do you feel for me?" He took sit on the bed and leaned closer, wanting to take a proper look at her reaction.

"What kind of question is that? You know that I love you with all my heart, silly!" Her moist lips kissed him fully in the mouth.

His vision came into focus and we couldn't believe what he was seeing. Luna's eyes were glittering pearl grey.

"Sweetheart…something in your…eyes… wasn't supposed to happen, that was not part of the rite. I was supposed to transfer you the powers…but…I've happened to transferred part of my bio-energy in the process as well". He chocked, feeling shocked and surprised at the same time.

"Draco…and yours….are…." She paused, biting her lip, looking straight into his eyes.

"Luna, now when I look at you, I literally see a piece of me. This is…amazing!" He smirked, kissing her pearl grey eyed snake wedding ring.

"Therefore every time you take a look at yourself, you'll see a part of me…" Luna shot back, twisting with her fingertips the amethyst blue eyed serpent ring on his hand.

"What?!" He turned round, looking for something that reflected his image. He found a silver tray by the night stand. "It cleans up my looks a bit…don't you think?" He posed in front of her with a mocking face.

"I think that this is not a black and white world, there are no absolutes. I say that the colours must swirl to finally appreciate the beauty of grey". She smiled, blushing a bit.

"Sweetheart, you knew that I would have done anything to heal you and have you back in my arms, right?" He shrugged, looking helpless.

"My love, you gave me the ultimate gift: a second chance". She shook her head and took his hand placing it against her chest. 'this is my heart, beating for you…beating thanks to you". She smiled as her pearl grey eyes looked at him with amazement.

He opened wide his eyes, studying her carefully while performing a mirroring charm, when that wasn't enough for him to make sure of her improved condition. His hands and eyes made a complete scan of her unmarked smooth silk skin: there wasn't a single sign of harm on her body, as if the massacre of the past night had never happened.

"Why are you acting as if you've never saw me naked before, what is it with you?" Her pink cheeks redden with shyness, she covered herself behind the sheets.

"Princess, I was just making sure you were okay, besides I can never get enough of you and that beautiful body of yours. I simply adore looking at it, touching it, always wanting more…" He swallowed, his heart was beating faster.

Draco got under the sheets and rolled her over on top of him, wrapping Luna in his loving arms, melting her body with his as the embrace got tighter.

THE END (?)

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A/N:

(i)Eris quod sum (Latin) - You will be what I am.

(ii)Esto perpetua (Latin) - Let it be forever

(iii)Redivivus! (Latin) - Come back to life!

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UPDATE:

A sequel is on the making because...well... no good deed goes unpunished.

Draco would have to face up the consequences of his actions and pay a very high price for his happiness. :morbid smirk:


End file.
